Forging Ahead
by Astral Writer
Summary: Drabbles from "Breaking Through Walls". One-shots and such depicting Usopp and Sanji's relationship on the Sunny and how their Nakama react to it. Not all the stories have to relate back to B.T.W. and some can stand alone as well. Rated anywhere between K and M, Yaoi, SanUso, slight ZoLu. 1st person POV. Enjoy!
1. Coming Forward

**Author's Note:**

Salutations Readers!

This is the first of the drabbles I promised to the readers of Breaking Through Walls. Some of you asked about how the rest of the crew would react to their relationship. Well, these first two drabbles will help elaborate on that for me. I hope everyone enjoys. Please read and review.

Oh! and if anyone has any prompts or commissions—things you would like to see happen, I'm taking suggestions. I already have a bunch of these written, but I'm always looking for new ideas.

Now, for the show.

* * *

It suddenly occurs to me as I stand in the middle of the galley kitchen that I've got some extra free time on my hands. It's been forever since this's happened. Ever since we got back a month ago, one of the two lovely maidens that graces our decks with her presence—Nami-swan with her enchanting way of commanding authority—has been eagerly distributing chores and work that she needs done. I've been only willing to lift the burden from her delicate and ever slender shoulders in any way I possibly can. But...

I sigh deeply through my nose.

While I love doing most anything for our Goddess of Navigation...I haven't been able to see a lot of Usopp lately. He's been helping Nami-san with a lot of things as well and the two of us seem too busy to grab more than a few minutes of each other's company. Our time together is always fleeting and hard enough to come by without over whelming distractions and insufferable shitty _interruptions_ popping up at every possible inconvenience.

As I look around the kitchen again, I'm surprised that everything's done for the moment. The dishes from lunch are clean already, put away, and I just finished handing out the afternoon snacks a half-hour ago. The roast in the oven has another hour at best. I finished preparing the salad and other courses earlier because I thought the marinade for the meat would take longer, but it seems I miscalculated. I pick up a rag and dampen it, leaning over the counter to finish wiping it down one last time.

I realize with an open smile, that if there's nothing left, I'm free to do what I want. Uh, such as drop in on our crew's sniper.

"Usopp should be below deck in his factory right about now," I say to myself as I unroll my sleeves and start for the other side of the galley. Everyone else should be busy elsewhere. Robin's reading in the observatory, Nami's probably still sunbathing, Franky's in the engine room, Brook's out playing his violin by the bow, Chopper's in the infirmary, and that shitty marimo and Luffy are off somewhere probably screwing like rabbits. _Ugh_, not that the mental image of that isn't enough to kill the mood...but, given the moment, I could probably get away with a little something myself before I have to come back and finish the main course.

My eyes wander over to the infirmary door. Even though it would probably be quicker to go through the infirmary, I don't want to run into anyone if possible.

Even as I think this, sigh, I know I'm probably sending Usopp the wrong message. Hiding our relationship from everyone isn't really the best way to convince him that I love him. I should probably do something about this whole situation soon.

It's not like I'm ashamed of it—how could I ever be ashamed about how much I've come to love him—I've never loved one person as much as this. I've realized that over this month how much he means to me, and has meant to me even before I realized. It's not just Nakama. It's something a little more... still, it's just that I-I...I really don't want to deal with hearing that shitty moss-head go on and on about it. He'll never let me live it down, I know he won't. Not after I've been poking at his obvious relationship with the captain and the fact that the man's practically gender blind to begin with. He wouldn't notice a beauty standing in front of him even if she started stripping.

My head starts to spin from the imaginary images, but I smack myself before it gets out of hand.

No, I don't think I'm prepared to handle his torment just yet or, alas, the thought of letting poor Nami-swan down. I don't know what she would think if she learned that I've given my heart to another. The only comforting thought in all this is that with Luffy and that shitty green haired idiot rolling around naked on every flat surface on the ship, I'm at least pretty sure that the rest of the crew is open minded enough that if Usopp and I were to come out, it wouldn't make any _really _big waves.

By the time I've made it around to the rear of the ship I've kind of worked myself up, excited with the prospect of it just being the two of us again even if it is only for an hour or so—but oh, what you can do in an hour, heh heh. As I've mentioned, it's been a long time since everyone's been off doing their own shit and I've had the chance to sneak away like this. I get to the stairs and I'm just outside Usopp's workshop when I hear the voice of the voluptuous Nami-swan! ...and I freeze where I stand.

_Wait, what's the elegant Nami-swan doing down here?_ Last I witnessed her exquisite beauty, she was out on the lawn deck.

"—really over Sanji already?"

"Ugh, Nami why do you have to keep bringing this up?"

_My name?! What!?_ I lean against the wall in the stairwell, just out of view. Eavesdropping's never been a hobby of mine, but Usopp's voice sounded frustrated and if anything, that's peeked my interest.

"Because I don't feel like this whole thing is over yet," I hear Nami-san say before Usopp sighs.

"Didn't I tell you I don't want to talk about it anymore...?"

"That's just it. You haven't said a word about it in a month. I've been worrying about you ever since you started crying during our last transmission." _Usopp was crying?! What?_ _Why!?_ "I want to make sure that you're not down here growing mushrooms or something."

"No," I catch Usopp muttering, "I do that on the upper deck obviously."

The familiar sound of the lovely Nami-san smacking her delicate hand to her face is followed by the ever enchanting aggravated tone in her voice. "You know what I mean, you idiot."

"What's it matter? I've already got it handled," Usopp says patiently.

"Got what handled?" she asks suspiciously. "Are you suppressing your feelings for Sanji again?"

_Nami-san knows?! She knew Usopp liked me all long?_ I'm surprised, yeah, but I don't know why it hurts, my hand clenching at the fabric of my shirt without me noticing. Is it because I'm angry? At what then? That Usopp confided in Nami-san or that she's known something like this longer then I have? Am I really jealous? Or am I just feeling extremely guilty? Usopp's liked me for so long and... Even now he's pretending that nothing has changed between us to help me save face.

"No, it's just, uh, different now... Um..." he says softly.

"Usopp," she sighs. "You know that I'm here for you, right? I feel really bad about trying to force you into confessing. I shouldn't have done that, but you..."

"You don't need to worry about it anymore. I'm better now. In fact, I'm more than better, so stop, okay?"

"You know, I've known you so long that...—it's still hard to tell your lies from the truth sometimes," Nami-san says sounding ever the witty scrutinizer that she is.

"I'm telling the truth this time, I swear," Usopp's says trying not to laugh.

"Yeah, like you haven't said that before," she says with a smile in her tone.

The click of her heels suddenly grows louder and I realize belatedly that it's a little late to make myself scarce. When she turns the corner and our eyes meet, I'm not just embarrassed, but at a loss as to what to say for myself being caught red handed.

"Sanji?!" she says half alarmed and I hear the sound of a chair scraping against the floor, no doubt Usopp pushing it back as he stands up. Sure enough I hear the hurried scuffing of his feet and then he's standing next to her looking awkwardly up at me from the foot of the stairs.

"Uh, Sanji," she starts. "It's not what is sounded like, I uh—" "I'm sorry Sanji. I didn't mean—" they're saying at the same time. Even though I know that Nami-san is only trying to cover it up, I'm more concerned about the look of anxiety that's passing over Usopp's face.

"It's fine," I say quickly and though Usopp stops talking, Nami-san's still insistent.

"No, it's my fault because—"

"It's fine," I say again calmingly as I take the last few steps.

Usopp's now looking up at me appearing thoroughly tongue-tied if not still distressed. "I'm sorry," he mutters again as his eyes turn downcast and he suddenly finds his hands far more interesting than anything else.

I smile, because I think I know him far better than I initially realized. I know that he's worried that we've been exposed or potentially have. He's probably thinking that I'd break it all off right here—possibly act like it never happened. I'm worried myself that he doesn't have much faith in me or maybe more accurately, in himself, but I know the way to fix that is going to be proving to him time and again that I really do care about him and these feelings of mine are only growing more potent with time.

I pull his chin up, none to gracefully, because I almost have to fight him to get his eyes to meet mine. He's worrying his lower lip and I'm finding the expression of apprehension on his face charming. I bring him closer to me, the fact that we have an audience forces me to restrain myself for the moment—it is a innocent lady after all—and merely wrapping my arms around his waist and pulling him into a loose hug. He squeaks, a sound that is most endearing since it only represents how shy he still is and I can't resist the final urge to lean forward and tease him more, whispering softly so that only he's aware of what I'm saying, "You don't have to worry".

I want to make his face even redder than it already is, but I reel myself back in. I turn to face Nami-san, who seems speechless as well.

"It's fine Nami-san. It seems that I'm in love with him as well." My dear Nami-san looks confused, but I'm relieved to see a small smile poking at the corner of her mouth. Hopefully that is a good sign.

"Seriously?" she asks. She's such a vision as she recovers, placing her hands on her hips, her eyes beginning to judge us. "You like him back?" She looks at Usopp, who's trying to push me away halfheartedly and he stops when he feels her eyes on him. "Usopp?"

"Uh..." he says staring at her with that lovely red running down his neck. "W-what he said, I g-guess..."

She looks back at me, now crossing her arms over her chest. "And that's all the explanation I get?" she asked severely, but from the stunning expression, I could tell that Nami-san is highly amused.


	2. Haunted Mayonnaise

It's super quiet 'sides the sound of the hinges as the galley door swings open and I walk over the threshold. It almost feels like the room itself is holding its breath and it's kind of creeping me out to be completely honest. I came here expecting to find Sanji standing behind the bar already in the process of dinner or something, but the galley's empty. I scratch at the back of my neck as I make a quick sweep of the room. The door closes behind me with a dull thud and I jump like someone's pushed me. _Ack! Dangit, I'm glad nobody saw me do that._ It's the stupid suspenseful atmosphere that's got me jumpy.

I looked back over the room—"Where is he? Geeze," I sigh, "he's the one that wanted to meet here ...huh?"_—_as I notice something out of place. There's a lone jar of mayonnaise sitting on the table.

Sanji, Chopper and I spent all morning in the town on this island getting provisions and food. I think we must have been scraping the bottom of the barrel these last few days—_that would explain why Sanji's been so snappy lately_. We got a whole lot of stuff. It was a pain helping haul it all back here, but Sanji insisted on putting it away himself.

Thinking about it, it seems really silly that he would've even missed this one jar, seeing as Sanji's really particular about food. He wouldn't just leave something out like this, right, especially with Luffy stalking the kitchen all the time.

I walk up to the table and pick the jar up, rolling it in my hand until the label's face up. I start for the kitchen, but then I remember that the pantries probably locked by now. There's no point in trying to put it away. I figure I'll leave it here on the counter—at least it's now closer to where it belongs—and mention it to Sanji when I find him eventually.

Then again, if he's not here, where is he? He's the stupid that told me to come back here when he was done putting everything away.

"If he wanted to see me, he should have just gone down to my factory like he normally does," I mutter as I head for the galley door, trying to psych myself up for the grueling search of the ship I'm about to start.

~.~

I open my eyes. It's not like it makes much of a difference as I stare up at the bottom of the box hammock above mine; it's too dark. Still, even though I can't see it, I know it's there. I yawn and as my ears pop I can hear the symphony of snores filling the men's quarters all that much better. I also realize... I've got to go to the toilet. _Great_, I sigh.

I roll over to the edge of my bunk and slide out as quietly as I can. When my feet touch the floor, it creaks and I flinch, looking around. Eyes have adjusted just enough that I can make out outlines of everybody. After a moment—my bladder reminding me that it's not really that patient—and no one stirs or starts yelling, the snoring continuing, I sigh with relief. Enough of this, I scamper out of the room and race off to find the restroom. Luckily the moon outside's way brighter.

Walking back to the men's quarters, I glance up at the crow's nest. It's Sanji's watch tonight, and honestly, I'm kinda tempted to scale the rigging and see if he wants any company. _Uh, not-not that kind of company i-if that's what you're thinking, uh..._ I'm such an idiot. I get myself all worked up on my own. I just wanna hang out, I guess. I have the right to do that, don't I? We're to-together, aren't we, even if that's just a secret between the two of us and the girls.

I sigh, it's probably better to just crawl back into my bed. Who's to say that Sanji'd even want to see me right now? Even if we are together, I...I'm not quite sure where the boundaries are. I'm not sure how close Sanji wants to be with me. I guess sex is clear, but, I mean, what about be-being close, uh, cuddling, spending time together? My facing is burning red even as I think about it. I don't know what to do sometimes. Sanji took the whole thing with Nami finding out really well, but I don't know if that's just 'cause it's Nami or because he's really comfortable with me. It's all so confusing and I just want to talk to him about it, but every time I get the courage too, I can't seem to get him alone.

Tired from more than a midnight toilet dash, I shuffle my way through the dark and easily find my bunk. Rolling into it, I try to get comfortable again—burying my face into my pillow like it might smother me—I feel something cold and bulbous prodding my side from under the covers. '_What?_' My heads trying to fall asleep even before the rest of me. My brain is thinking groggily as I lazily search for this foreign object.

I manage to pull it out and at first my still sleepy brain can't register what it is—the dark room doesn't help much. But as my eyes adjust I notice the wrapper along the outside of it and the slight glow of the contents in the coldish glass cylinder. I squeak, although quietly, and I'm glad the rest of the crew is too asleep to hear me. _So embarrassing_. But-BUT isn't this the jar I found earlier today—uh, yesterday!

When I finally found Sanji earlier, I'd sort of forgotten about the jar and when everybody crammed into the galley for dinner, the jar wasn't there anymore, so I just thought that Sanji had put it away already. What the Hell is it doing in my bunk?

I stare at the jar for a moment. What am I going to do with it? I don't want to get out of my bunk again and stumble my way across the lawn deck and up a flight of stairs to the galley just to leave it on the counter again. I'm tired.

_You could go get Sanji to—_

_NO brain! He's busy and I'm pretty sure if I bother him about something like this he won't be happy with me._

I lean over the edge of my bunk, having finally decided, and put the jar on the floor. I'll bring it up to the galley at breakfast. Or even ask Sanji to put it away since he keeps such a tight lock on the fridge and pantry.

When I woke up later that morning, the jar was already missing. But, uh, since I'd woken up late and the rest of the crew was already gone, I figured someone else had to of seen it and taken it up. I wandered into the kitchen just as everyone's arguing over food. Panicking, I jumped at the table, diving to secure myself something before Luffy eats it all.

~.~

Coming down from the garden under the main mast, I feel like asking Chopper if he wants to play around on the lawn deck. It's nice right now, but Nami told everyone there's going to be a storm starting some time tonight. She's not sure when it will let up so this might be our last chance at sunshine for a while. I'm excited about telling Chopper this new story I've been working on about fighting a Kraken in my sleep. That 'oughta really impress him.

Lack of focus leads me to trip over something on the stairs and I fall-tumble-"Oww!" my way down from the library and land face first on the second floor deck. Robin leans over the rail and calls down to me from above where she was tending to her own flowers. "Are you alright, Usopp-kun?" she asks sounding casual.

I push myself up and touch my nose testingly. It doesn't hurt that bad. _Why's it always my face or my ass? _I mutter, concerning to the many occasions that I've found myself on the ground after any sort of fall. _Why can't I land on my hands and knees for a change?_

I looked up at Robin, who's looking down to me curiously.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," I say waving up to her. Robin smiles at me and with a nod, disappears probably going back to what she was doing.

I flop back on my ass and look over my shoulder, back at the stairs. _What'd I'd stumbled over?_ There'd been something that wasn't supposed to be there, I swear. I-I'm not that uncoordinated... not all the time.

Staring up those treacherous steps, my eyes are almost drawn to that unnatural—yet eerily familiar—item lying on its side, still rolling a bit from the motion of being knocked over when I tripped on it. It's that stupid jar of mayonnaise again!

'_B-but I thought...?_' I'm not sure what I think. It hadn't been on the floor when I woke up the other day. Didn't someone find it and put it away? And what was it doing in my bed anyway? It definitely wasn't on the stairs when I went up to my garden earlier, so what's it doing here now? Is-is it possessed?

I laugh nervously at my own imagination. Who's ever heard of a haunted condiment before? I shuffled nervously to my feet and reach slowly out for it, almost like I'm scared, _but I'm not!_ Heh heh, it's not like it's going to burst into flames or bite me, right? _Right?!_

I pick it up and bring it back to the galley. The room's empty again, that stupid Sanji. I kinda remember Nami asking him to help her with her laundry earlier and he did seem eager to help. Hmph. Sometimes I wondered if Sanji really is as serious about the two of us as he says he is.

I put the jar on the counter and decide, since I'm here, I'll just take the shortcut through the infirmary and see if Chopper's still there.

~.~

It's the second shift of the night and it's still raining. Wearing my Pajama bottoms and a rain parka with the hood drawn up, I'm still not really awake yet. I'm still rubbing the sand out of my eyes. I'm shivering too. I can feel the rain pelting my nose where it's sticking out from under the hood. _It's freaking cold out here_. I hate this watch shift the most, 'cause it's going to end really early in the morning, an hour before Sanji starts making breakfast and I going to be exhausted all day because of it. Well, on the brighter side of things, I wouldn't have to take this shift again for another two weeks.

I wave hi to Zoro as he walks past me, towards the men's quarters. He grunts in response.

After climbing up to the crow's nest and shrugging off my jacket, I try to get comfortable on the bench near one of the windows. It's still chilly up here and rubbing my semi-bare arms isn't helping warm me up fast enough. _Isn't heat supposed to rise? This is the highest place on the Sunny._

I reach over and grab the blanket that's left up here for whatever miserable soul's stuck with watch duty. I yawned again even though I'm trying to stay focused. I really wish I had something to wake me up. I'd even settle for coffee.

I smile, half wishing that Sanji'd come up here with some snacks or something. But it's really late and Sanji'd been in his bunk when I left to switch with Zoro. Such wonderful things aren't going to be happening to me tonight. I lean against the windowsill and watch the rain hit, splashing against the glass, a shiver running over me. _Too cold_... At least I'm not likely to fall back asleep at this rate. I pull at the blanket, wrapping is closer around me, but the blanket feels like it's caught on something.

"What?" I muttered to myself, tugging at the blanket again and looking over my shoulder. I feel a silent scream raking the back of my throat as my eyes land on that overly familiar glass jar of mayo.

~.~

I don't want to sound like I'm paranoid, but I'm convinced that that jar's haunted! I've seen it several more times since that night shift incident. I might be going crazy! It's everywhere, I tell you! It keeps popping up in places it doesn't belong. Why's it haunting _me_? What'd I do? I'd tell somebody about this if I wasn't so sure that'd throw me overboard to see if the sea water will clear my head. I mean, seriously—A Haunted Mayonnaise jar!—that's even crazier than most of my other tall-tales. Who's going to believe that? I've been ignoring it in the meantime until I can think of something to do about it. But what can I do?

I head up to the galley. Maybe Sanji—if he's there—can help. He knows a lot about food. I'll ask him if he's been missing a jar recently.

I push open the door and I feel so relieved to see him standing behind the counter that I think my legs will give out beneath me. "Sanji!" It kind of comes out a bit more desperate than I meant it, but I can't help it.

He looks up at me with a start and then cocks his eyebrow at me. "What's wrong, Usopp?"

"You're actually here!" I sigh, attempting to get over to him without falling.

He smirks, and even that makes me feel better. I haven't been alone with him in a while. "Of course I'm here, you idiot. Where else would I be," he says as he picks up another piece of bread and applies the spread to it.

"Well you haven't—Wah!"—He jumps as I yelp—"What are you d-doing!?"

"Usopp, will you stop freaking—"

"It's here!" I shout, feeling the panic rise in me like the bile in my throat. I think I'm going to throw up.

"Oi, what's Here!" Sanji yells at me... and I try to calm myself down even as I'm shaking.

"The m-mayon-ne-naise..." I stutter.

Sanji looks down at the open jar on the counter. "Well, yeah. I'm making sandwiches for lunch; I kind of need it—"

"No! Don't, it's cursed!" I shout.

He stares at me like I'm crazy and I instantly try to explain it. I don't want him to think I'm off my rocker too. "It's been haunting me for days. Everywhere! I found it in my bunk, in the bathtub, among my plants in my garden, in the water closet! Everywhere! If you use it, it will curse everybody!" I'm gripping the counter, my whole body is shaking. Sanji looks like he's about ready to throw me out of his kitchen and I wouldn't put up a fight if he did—but then his face goes all concerned on me.

"Are you seriously afraid?" he asks, putting down the rubber spatula he was using.

"I know it sounds crazy, but—" before I can finish, Sanji's grabbed he and he's hugging me. "w-wha—"

"You idiot. Someone's probably just messing with you. The mayonnaise has been missing for a while, so it was probably some shitty prank or something."

"R-really?" I say looking up at him—but even as he says it, it makes more sense than what I was thinking. I bury my face in his blazer. I'm such a stupid! Sanji chuckles, probably at me and I can't really get mad at him for it even though I want to. "Ugh, I can't believe I freaked out over a stupid prank."—_I'm going to find out who ever did this and get them back. They have the gall to prank the king of pranks. They're in for one Hell of a revenge!_

Sanji's chuckle turns into light laugher. "That's fine. Uso-swan's so cute when he's scared," he says stroking my hair.

"Wha-No, what's with that nickname?" I whine. That's really _really_ lame!

"What, you don't like it?"

"It's-it's not that... Well, it is—" He doesn't give me time to finish, cutting me off by kissing me. _Number 37!_

I feel like it's going to be a hopeless struggle to convince him to stop calling me that. _Might as well give up on it_, I grumble in my head as I start returning the kiss.

* * *

"You see that Zoro! They're doing that thing we do!" Luffy says bouncing up and down, his head practically blocking the whole porthole. I don't believe what I'm seeing. The bastard is kissing Usopp right there in the middle of the kitchen.

"Those idiots," Nami mutters, rubbing her head as she looks away.

I turn away from the window to throw her a look. "You knew about this?"

This whole thing started a couple of days ago when Luffy and I had been screwing around under the table in the galley. When we heard someone coming, we had expected that ero-cook, not Usopp. I had to pin sencho to the underside of the table to get him quiet, he'd wanted to come out and say hi. Usopp was acting skittish like he normally does and when he left Luffy and I crawled out. The mood was kind of ruined for the moment. As I was fixing my belt, Luffy picked up the jar on the counter and said something about scaring Usopp with it. It seemed stupid at first, but it was actually kind of fun messing with him for a bit. Then that witch Nami caught on after a while, she said that she wouldn't tell if she could be part of it.

Nami looks at me now, sighing and nods.

"How long?" I hiss.

"Since Robin and them got back, I think," she says standing up. "It's their own fault they got caught," she says dusting her hands off on her hips and walking off like it wasn't a big deal that that bastard was a fucking hypocrite.

"Hey Zoro. Zoro," Luffy says tugging at my sleeve.

"What," I ask looking over my shoulder at him.

"I want to do it now!" he says with a smile.

_Fuck... _I smirk.

* * *

I'm still trying to find out who it was. I know it wasn't Sanji. He swore it wasn't. I'd like to think it wasn't Chopper, but even he's a suspect. It's dinner and I'm using it as an opportunity to size everyone up and find the culprit. If I'm lucky, they don't know that I know and I can catch them in the act.

Nami's fighting with Luffy about something—I think it has to do with Luffy and Zoro having sex under the stairs again, but I'm not sure. Franky definitely seems smart enough to come up with—

"—do it, find a room with a lock first! Nobody wants to walk in on that!"

"Well..well... Sanji and Usopp are kissing!" Luffy says back indignantly—

I start choking on the mash-potatoes in my mouth that are trying to evacuate down the wrong tube. At the same time, I hear something glass in the room shatter and Sanji curse.

"What the Hell did you say, you shitty rubber!" Sanji barks. Robin offers me a glass of water from across the table and I gulp it down. Chopper's looking up at me with confusion, Franky's spit out his cola all over his plate and Brook's face is frozen mid-chuckle. Robin didn't seem to react, but Nami's remained standing where she'd been while berating Luffy, an angry look on her face.

"Don't try and change the subject," she snaps.

"What? They were!" Luffy shrugs.

Sanji grabs Luffy by the collar of his cardigan and hoists him out of his seat. "I dare you to say that again," he says, clenching the cigarette between his teeth. I pull my hat over my head, wanting to become something very small right now, like an ant or maybe an ameba. Maybe it might just be a better idea to turn invisible.

"But we saw you kissing earlier," Luffy says, seeming unable to understanding why Sanji's angry.

"'We?'" Sanji asks, cocking a brow.

_They actually saw us!? Dammit!_

"What do you mean 'we'?" Sanji says again, giving our captain a shake.

"We saw everything, bastard," Zoro says, with a smile. "You're a fucking hypocrite!"

Peeking out from under my hat, I see Sanji freeze for a moment—just a moment—but then he keeps moving. "Ooh, big words for an idiotic moss-head like you."

"What was that?" Zoro says from across the table and he's narrowing his eyes.

He-he didn't deny it, I think quickly.

"You're fucking gender blind anyway! So what's it matter to you?"

"So you're admittin' to shacking up with Usopp?" Zoro says standing, wearing that weird smile he does, when he's raring for a fight.

Sanji winces with a disgusted look on his face. "Only an uncivilized neanderthal would call it that, you shitty marimo, but if you're going to be crude about it, yes, yes I am!" and Sanji throws a kick at Zoro, which his blocks with two of his swords that he's drawn.

Sanji and Zoro start fighting, but I'm still frozen in my seat. Sanji said it. He said it right in front of everyone. I can feel their eyes on me like they want some kind of explanation, but my eyes are going to stay on Sanji. I can still hear them throwing insults back and forth at each other. Luffy, who's sitting next to me gives me a playful punch in the shoulder.

"Good for you Usopp! Sorry about prankin' ya!"

* * *

**Author's Note:**

This particular drabble was inspired by an adventure to the locate grocery store where I and a friend found, in a potato chip display—_you guessed it!_—a jar of mayo. We started joking about how it was really random and in the time lapsing from leaving the display, checking out at the register and the short trip to the car, we came up with the concept of Usopp being haunted by a jar of mayonnaise. At the time the idea had nothing to do with SanUso. That part was added in later, but still... Mayonnaise...

Anyway, hope you all enjoyed the stories thus far. Read and review _please! _If there is something there's a pompt or an idea for a drabble that you would like to see, leave it in a review!

Oh, and I literally forgot! _Happy Thanksgiving!_


	3. Superhero Crossover

"What are you doing?" I ask as I lean over his shoulder, brushing his hair out of the way.

Usopp jumps in his seat and slams the sketchbook shut. _Not suspicious at all, Uso-swan_, I muse sardonically. Usopp twists around nervously.

"It's nothing. It's just some stupid sketches. Nothing at all."

I cock an eyebrow. "Really? Then..." I smile as I lean closer. "You wouldn't mind showing me, would you?" Ever since Usopp rattled off that he had sketches of me in his sketchbook all that time ago when we were sitting awkwardly on the floor in that shitty shack back on the island, he's hasn't shown me any of them, even though I've been pestering him about it. I'm kind of curious and want to take a peek at how Usopp sees me. But he squirms away, scurrying across the room to sit between the hanging box hammocks, his back braced against the wall. I smirk.

I've been learning new things about our crew's sniper, things such as his slight aversion to being touched or held romantically in public—his idea of public being anywhere where someone can potentially see or even walk in on us. All the same, whatever resistance he puts up is halfhearted at best. I'm not turned off by it either, in fact, as I believe I've mentioned before, I find his red tinted face and shy mannerisms adorable. It's nothing I can't deal with. And it's not like I'm openly affectionate with him all the time. I'd much prefer to have him all to myself without any sort of audience. A majority of that reasoning is that when Usopp feels secure and safe, he is far more honest about _everything_.

That aside for now, I want to see those pictures of his.

I smile as I walk over to him. He's clutching his sketchbook to his chest and I swear it's almost like telling a child they _can't_ do something. It only makes them want to attempt the deed that much more. I squat down in front of him. His eyes are glued to me, like he thinks I'm going to rip it out of his hands. I could—very easily actually—but I have another method in mind. I take the cigarette out from between my lips and blow the smoke out to the side, watching him from the corner of my eye. I don't miss that little twitch of his. I try to hide my smile as I move in, leaning over his precious sketchbook like it's been forgotten and kiss him full on the lips. I've learned quickly that Usopp likes kissing; doesn't matter if it's soft and chaste or deep and passionate. He seemingly melts every time. Using the hand that's not holding my cig, I cup the side of his head, running just the tips of my fingers into his hair. Usopp makes a small noise that's trapped between our mouths. Another pointer about Uso-swan: his scalp is exceptionally sensitive.

When we break the kiss, Uso-swan's eyelids are at half-mast and his cheeks have a lovely tint of red to them that I like on his darker skin tone. As I move forward to start kissing along every edge of his face I hear him breathe something that sounds more like he's saying... "_58_"?

"What was that?" I ask curiously.

Usopp's eyes open a little more as he realizes that whatever he was thinking was said out loud, probably unintentional. "Um, that was nothing.." he says shyly and I smile. I move on, kissing the corner of his jaw and along his cheek bone over slightly to his left ear.

He shivers as my breath reaches the skin around and behind his ear and he makes a soft keen sound even as he tries to muffle it. _All according to plan._

"You know I love you, right?" I remind him and he shivers in response like I've said some kind of magic words. He nods, like he's too scared to trust his voice right now. "Good," I say and I worry his earlobe between my teeth and more cute noises escape him. "I'd be worried if you started to doubt me again."

He finally speaks, his voice less shaky than I thought it would be. "I-I love you too."

I can feel the shoulder under my jaw relax a bit, meaning the death grip he has on the sketchbook in his arms in loosening. _Good, good..._ I move my lips back up to the entrance of his ear. "You're amazing," I say softly and Usopp stiffens for a moment under my body, but that melts away as I continue. "You're brilliant at whatever you put your mind to."

I feel him smile, rather than see it. "Y-you don't have ta say that," he says bashfully.

"The things you can do are no small feet," I smile to myself as I add, "Captain Usopp."

He starts laughing bashfully, and I can tell I've won. "Well, I guess I am pretty cool," he says, not too modestly. "I mean I managed to win you over."

"Yeah," I laugh as well. "There's no other man that will ever be able to accomplish that." I don't think I could stomach the thought of touching anyone besides this idiot—well, aside from a woman.

"Yeah," Usopp says with that little bit of confidence that I've supplied. He's got that wonderful smile on his face and I decide that now's the time to make my move. I pluck the sketchbook from his hands.

"And such a wonderful lover wouldn't mind sharing his talent with the other, would he?"

"Wai-What?" Usopp yelps, reaching out for the book, even as I stand up and start back over to the couch. "Ah, uh, yeah... I guess, if you put it that way... but..." I look over my shoulder as he starts fiddling around with his hands in his lap.

"What's the matter Usopp? I've seen some of your stuff before. It was really good. What's there to be worried about now?" I smile at him as I plop the book down in my lap, knees crossed, and flip open the cover. I can hear Usopp get up and the scuffling of his boots as he comes over. He joins me on the couch, sitting a little farther away from me then I would like, but he's got that shy blush on his face again, so I don't force him to move closer.

The first few pages are blank, but then I start seeing sketched images of places on the ship, recent places we've been with the crew. There's even a couple sketches of the shitty shack we were staying at, I'm surprised. Actually, I'm surprised again at how much skill goes into each sketch. But after a while I notice that there aren't that many images of people. I start to think that maybe I've confiscated the wrong book until I turn the next random page and there's an image of Chopper. Well, Chopper...and Luffy... and that shitty moss-head. They're all piled up in each other's laps napping on the lawn deck. I feel a twitch in my brow staring at the picture. It's really well drawn, a lot of care to detail and shit. I'd never admit it, but I'm a little jealous of everyone in the picture. I've yet to actually see anything that Usopp's drawn of me.

The next few pages have little scattered sketches of different crew members, caught like snapshots in the middle of everyday events: The lovely Robin-chwan watering her flowers, Nami-swan sitting elegantly at the helm looking down at the log pose on her wrist, Franky repairing some random damages that probably occurred during a fight with some of those bastard marines, and Brook playing his guitar. _They're really beautiful_, I think.

...

_But There's Still None Of Me!_

Not to sound like a narcissist, but I just kind of thought that since Usopp was so infatuated with me, my images would dominate most of the pages. It's sounds very vain, but that's what I wanted to see when I flipped the cover. I turn the pages hoping that there will finally be a picture of me, but instead I see a few stray lines and nothing else. It looks like nothing was even draw on this page.

...but then, there is something. It took a moment for me to notice, but there are lines engraved into the paper. Hard, deep lines, like a lot a pressure had been applied and then most of the evidence of those lines was erased. Usopp makes a muffled noise next to me, and I think I kind of get it.

I flip to the next couple of pages and I finally start to see what I've been looking for. I see lots of it. There are dozens of little finished and half-finished sketches of what I assume is me all over the pages. Some are even crossed out or scribbled over, though I don't have a clue why. From what I can tell, Usopp puts a lot of time into these ones, at least from all the erased lines that are still engraved into the paper. There's a couple of pages like this and though I've tried to control my facial muscles this whole time so I don't aggravate Usopp's nerves, I can feel a warm feeling swelling in my chest.

I can also feel Usopp fidgeting on the other side of the couch and can see him through my bangs trying to lean over and tell what I'm looking at. He looks positively nervous and I smile to myself.

I turn the page and then through some more blank ones. _I've reached the end_? I think, but then I flip the next page. I snort as I bite my lip, trying to hold back laughter.

"What are you laughing at?" Usopp begs. "Is it that bad? I told you not to look at it!" He reaches out to snatch the sketchbook back before his eyes land on the page I'm on and he freezes, his face has a comical horror stricken look to it.

On the page are two figures, standing back to back in very heroic poses and both silhouettes are very familiar. Under them in large and detailed font it says "The Hero Alliance – Sogeking and Mr. Prince".

I turn to look at Usopp, who's buried his face in his hands, hiding it from view.

"Usopp," I say with a smile in my voice. He shakes his head and his hair bounces around his face. "Usopp," I try again with a slightly more mature tone to my voice and I can see an eye peeking out at me from between some fingers. "I'm laughing because I like it."

He pulls his hands away a bit further. "Really?" he asks disbelievingly and the apprehensive look on his face makes me want to kiss him again.

I nod. I turn back to the sketchbook and study the familiar image of that silly mask and red cape that Usopp ran around Enies Lobby with and then at the slightly younger image of myself in my suit and sunglasses from Alabasta. I can't believe he still remembers that. It seems like a life time ago after everything we've been through. I flip the page and suddenly find myself looking at some kind of comic book setup with panels. There's scribbled down dialogue in speech balloons and everything. There's a story of some kind of a thug that looks suspiciously like that wolf creep from CP9 trying to harm a beautiful woman, whose face lacks real detail, and then a figure appears at the entrance to the alley calling the freak out. I'm flipping the pages, kind of caught up in the story. There's some fighting—really nice illustrations—and it looks like the mysterious figure, Mr. Prince, is winning, but the wolf starts to fight dirty and tries to escape. But up on the rooftop he's stopped by another masked vigilante who's been waiting with a trap for him.

I look over at Usopp, who's scooted closer to me, apparently trying to watch me as I read, reading my reaction, just like I'm reading his story.

"You made a comic book?"

He smiles bashfully again and chuckles, scratching the back of his head, his gaze drifting away. "It's kind of lame, I know, but—"

"This is shitty fantastic!" I laugh. I wasn't expecting something like this earlier when I was trying to trick him into letting me see it. It blew whatever expectations I had out of the water. I knew he was being modest about this shit, but I didn't think... _God_, I feel a little ashamed for never really noticing a talent like this in him before.

Usopp blushes brighter. "Thanks. I'm glad ya like it—"

"You should show this to everyone else. Luffy and Chopper would eat this shit up," I laugh as I turn a few more pages, wanting to see how much of this he's actually got and my fingers stop when something different catches my attention. _Wait, what was that?_

I flip back a few pages. It's still a comic, with panels and speech bubbles and everything, but the child-friendly comic book theme is gone. In fact, it takes me a moment, and a change of angles, to realize what I'm looking at.

Oh my God, Usopp's drawing porn of us—_uh, I mean _them. Usopp, no, Sogeking's mask has been tipped back—though the image of his face is shaded, like the identity's to remain secret, and I snicker internally at that—and he and my Mr. Prince of sharing one Hell of a passionate kiss. A lot of the bandages on Sogeking's arms and legs have become unraveled and Mr. Prince is missing his jacket, the majority of buttons on his shirt are undone revealing most of his chest. There's interesting sound effects written all around them to illustrate panting and heavy breathing. I flip to the next page and I'm forced to let this book lay flat on my lap so I can keep from getting blood on Uso-swan's lovely masterpiece. The thought of superhero role-play in bed has never occurred to me before, but it seem to have all kinds of steamy possibilities now.

"Ahhh!" Usopp screams. "I didn't know you were reading that," Usopp says seeing the images in my lap and reaching for the book. One of my hands—the one without blood on it—shoots out to stop him.

"No. It's Beautiful," I say, sounding rather nasally. Usopp sits back and looks up at me with a bewildered look on his face.

"What?" He asks, raising an eyebrow. "That's ju-just something I drew when I was bored. All it is is smut." _And what a beautiful imagination my Uso-swan has_, I swoon.

"It's an artistic masterpiece, and nothing less," I argue as I try to pinch the bridge of my nose and tip my head back before I really do get blood all over his artwork.

Usopp crosses his arms over his chest and looks at me like I've lost it. "You're just a pervert, that's what it is," he says shaking his head, like he doesn't know what to do with me.

I smile. "Well, you're the one that drew it." At that, more red dances across his face and I laugh as best I can while still holding my nose.

My nosebleed under control, I turn back to the sketchbook and decided that these lovely images can wait to be read later, maybe when Usopp's not watching and I'm in a more private location—possibly a night watch shift in the crow's nest. I flip through some more "Hero Alliance" comics and that's followed by some more blank pages. After a while I fan through the last of the pages, thinking I've reached the end of what's available, when something catches my eye. It was on the last two or three pages of the book. I flip back to it and Usopp squeaks, reaching out once more for the book. I dodge him easily. This picture is interesting. It looks like Usopp was trying to draw a wanted poster—it looks like he was in the middle of it actually. This might have been what he was working on when I caught him. There's still eraser shaving on the page.

You know, to be more accurate, it's _My_ wanted poster. But in the space where the criminal's picture is supposed to be, there's a still unfinished head shot. It's my face, wearing a heated glare that I can only imagine is what my face looks like when I'm fighting, because I've never had a mirror handy during the time. The picture is very well done even though it's not complete yet. It's kind of what I'd thought my poster would look like if those shitty photographers could take a fucking picture. God, _why couldn't they have hired Usopp to do the sketch for the wanted poster?_ Then I would have had a picture that would've shown up that stupid marimo, even if my bounty's not as high as his.

Usopp's sitting on the edge of his seat again, watching me very closely, like he's waiting for my reaction. If I didn't have blood on my hand and face right now, I'd be kissing this shitty long-nose.

* * *

**Author's Note**:

Third Drabble! Yay!

This story was an inspiration of a lot of things. The _shy artist_-thing is something that actually comes from personal experience. As an artist (I sketch... a lot), I'm always nervous about the people I care about see my work. I also wanted to illustrate a Sanji that wasn't just noodling all the time and could be cunning and pervy... Noodling is for other chapters, so if you like the gushy-stuff, stay tune.

Also, I saw a fanart on deviantart that gave me the idea for the Hero Alliance... There's a possibility that I might expand on that idea too, if it's well met by you readers... Would you like to read the plot of Usopp's Sogeking/Mr. Prince heated fanfiction? Please leave a review saying 'ya' or 'neh', as well as if you like the drabbles thus far.

_Response time_!

SniperingSardine: My wonderful follower! Hearing from you is always fun. I hope you are feeling better. I like the concept of counting kisses too... I might carry on with that for a while more; it's mentioned in this fic too. As far as Chopper, Oh ho ho... They'r going to need a doctor by the time I get into my next fic. Something I've notice is that no one really plays off how Usopp and Chopper are real close in most fic, don'cha think? You know, all your love sound like it's going to get me fat... fatter... Lucky me, I work at a gym... I look forward to when you come up with a prompt for me. I think anything you give me, I can make spectacular... You mentioned Franky and Brook? That's funny, I've already written some drabbles that focus on just them already for this fic. You'll see them eventually... Great minds must think a like!

YamiLuvsSkittles: You know, I read your request for a sequel and was all like... '_don't I already have one of those going?_' and then you found it and I just had a good laugh about it all. I love writing cute moments and hope that this drabble met your standards!

As always, Thank you to those of you that review and hope that I can hear from you other reads as well...


	4. Denial & Patience

I look over my shoulder again. I thought I heard that idiot's voice _again_. Where the Hell did he wander off too? Is the Marimo's sense of direction contagious? It's like one moment he was walking behind us and the next he's gone. I start back to the shopping district to see if he just got distracted by something he saw in a store display. That sounds like Usopp, doesn't it? Shit, why'd he disappear in the middle of our date of all things?

I walk down the paved streets, shoulders hunched, glancing from store front to store front looking for any hint of those buoyant black curls, that tanned flesh, or any other sign of him. Even in a crowd like this, I'm positive that I could find him. The metropolis that spans most of this island is huge, and there's so many people..._and beautiful ladies !_

"Excuse me, my lovely mademoiselles, but have you possibly seen a dark haired guy wearing a pageboy cap and goggles?"

"Uh," the pretty one closest to me starts as she steps away.

"No, we haven't. Sorry," her equally charming friend next to her says quickly and the two of them hurry past. _Awe_, _such visions of beauty._

I sigh. Where'd Usopp disappear to?

"Sanji-kun?" and my ears ring with the voice of my ever immaculate tangerine scented canary.

"Nami-swan! Is that you?!" I smile as I turn to greet her.

Nami-san stands there like the goddess she is with the sophisticated and stunning Robin-chan standing beside her. Oh, and Chopper's there too in Walking-point. From the look of the bags their each carrying, it seems the three of them are out shopping. Nami tosses her hair over her shoulder and stares at me strangely.

"Sanji-kun, where's Usopp?" and my joy at being reunited with them is dashed. I sigh yet again, my shoulders sagging.

"Yeah, I'm wondering about that myself," I say dejectedly.

"Weren't you guys on a date just now—," and I rush to her side begging that she stop what words are about to escape her luscious lips.

"YES!—I mean, yes, yes we were. But he seems to have wandered off and I can't find him."

Nami cocks her head, her elegant brows knitting. "That doesn't sound right. He seemed really excited about it yesterday. What happened?"

I blink, and wonder yet again why Usopp always seems to confide in Nami-san as I start into a brief recap of what's happened since Usopp and I disembarked the Sunny this morning.

"Sanji-kun," Nami-san mutters my name as she rubs at her temple. Robin-chan sighs, shaking her lovely head from side to side slowly. Even Chopper's looking at me with a disappointed look on his muzzle.

"What?" I ask curiously.

With that Nami-swan beats me over the head with her gorgeous fist. "You're an idiot!" she screams, some of the people on the street stopping to stare.

"Wha-.." I start, sitting up and rubbing my head. "What did I do, Nami-san?" I say guiltily.

"Sanji, do you have any idea what you look like when you talk to girls?" Chopper asks me.

I quickly envision the elegant interaction between myself and a woman, one with no particular face, and ask "What do you mean?"

Chopper shakes his head, causing some of the bags hanging from his antlers to rustle. "There's no helping him... I feel sorry for Usopp."

I cock me head as Nami-san steps over me and gives me one of her rapturous glares. "Me too, Chopper. Sanji-kun, you say that you ran into a group of girls during your date and you decided to help carry their stuff?"

"Ye-yeah. Isn't that what a gentleman is supposed to do?" I ask staring up at her from the ground.

"You and your stupid chivalry. It makes me want to hit you again," Nami-san says with her teeth clenched shut and her fists shaking at her sides.

I'm confused. I still don't understand what has the three of them so upset. I don't understand what this has to do with Usopp's disappearance. Shouldn't we go looking for him?

"Sanji-kun," Nami-san says kneeling in front of me and putting a hand on my shoulder. Her gorgeous features look calmer and more sympathetic now. "When you're around other woman, you turn into a douchebag... I'm sorry, but someone had to tell you," she says platonically.

"Wha...what?" I slowly stutter. What kind of vocabulary has just been used by my innocent Nami-swan. Who could use such language around a lady?

"You're an A-class Jerk," Chopper adds.

"What do you mean?" I ask feeling cornered all of a sudden.

"Usopp-kun has a lot of patience, Sanji-san, but you seemed to have worn him down today," Robin-chan says turning toward the direction of the docks, her eyes close briefly, and she sighs disheartenedly when she opens them again. "Usopp-kun is already back on Sunny Go."

"What!? Why?" I say hopping to my feet, ready to make a mad dash back to the ship.

"Haven't you been paying attention?" Nami-san asks, crossing her arms under her voluptuous bosom, her bags hanging from her elbows. I tear my eyes away,_ I can't be thinking about that right now. Usopp—_

"Yes, I've been listening. You three think that Usopp leaving and going back to the ship is my fault. I still don't understand how, but I should go apologize anyway, right?!" I say as I turn to leave the shopping district, but I feel, rather than see, graceful fingers grab one of my ankles and face meets sidewalk.

"Not so fast, Sanji-kun," Nami says, towering over me. The view is marvelous, but I have to keep my head about me. "You're not allowed to see Usopp again until you understand what you did wrong completely," and at the dark smile on her face I feel a cold chill run through me.

* * *

I toss the screwdriver and gadget I'm working on back down on the workbench. I can't focus on it anyway. My head hurts, but I don't want to lie down. Argh, I'm such a stupid.

I've been trying to keep myself occupied, because I didn't want to think about it, but now that I'm sitting here, cradling my head between my fingers, I've got nothing better to do then think about the whole thing, causing my chest to feel tight again.

_He_ was the one that asked _me_ out. It was his idea. He'd convinced me that since it was such a big city, we could practically turn invisible and it would be easy to just act like a normal couple in public. He got me all worked up. I spent a lot of time trying to pick out an outfit too and everything. I didn't know what he wanted to do, but I thought it would be fun to actually hold his hand in public. Th-that maybe we could get away with it.

And he looked so cool, dressed all casual too. We walked to the shopping district from the docks. I was curious what he had planned for us; this's kinda like my first real date. Like going shopping or something? We were talking and he was saying something, looking over at a food stall. I reached out to grab his hand and then he pulled away at the last minute, changing directions. I tried like a dozen more times, but I missed or he'd move away or someone would bump into me and I'd lose my gall, _Did that guy look at us funny?_

That's when we met them. There were these three girls, one of them bumped into me actually and she dropped her bag of groceries. It was my fault, I'd been too busy trying to grab Sanji's hand again, and I wasn't watching where I was going. I got down and tried to help her get it all together before anyone stepped on it. Yeah, I ended up getting my hand stepped on by someone's heel instead.

My hand pulsed _now_ to remind me it still smarted.

Sanji got down to help and the two other girls with her—her sisters actually; Heh, identical triplets of all things—helped too and we managed to save all of it. I tried to apologize—apologize and it would be over I thought—but then before my eyes, Sanji started noodling. I sighed, 'cause yeah, that's just the way he is, right? He asked them if they needed help and they actually took him up on it quickly, which sucked eggs. We ended up helping them shop for a while and I watched as they flirted with him. Sanji's an idiot. He can't help but flirt back. I'm pretty sure he does it without realizing it. It's his nature. He was in his natural habitat. It wasn't like I was ignored; at least one of the sisters was talking to me at any given time, but... This was my date. I tried to get Sanji's attention—you know, to hint that maybe it was time to move on—but he was oblivious.

My chest started hurting... A lot. I looked down at my hand and then through the girls at his side, catching a glimpse of his. One of the sisters was hanging on his arm and I sighed shakily. I was mad, but I couldn't keep it up. Sanji was asked if he could help them take their things back to their house and he told them he couldn't turn down a girl's request. I was having a hard time keeping it together at this point and decided it would be better to leave. I couldn't reach out to grab his hand. I couldn't say that I wanted to leave. I didn't have the courage to tell them that he and I had something we were doing and he was too busy. I flinched at the thought of Sanji possibly getting mad at me for stepping in like that. I-I still didn't have the confidence that Sanji wouldn't push me away at any given moment, no matter how many times he says that won't happen and that he loves me.

I sniff and then I sit up with a start. _No. No crying you stupid eyeballs. If I keep this crybaby shit up, I don't know how I'm ever going to become a Great Warrior of the Sea. _Luckily my eyes weren't quite watering yet. I picked up the screwdriver and the slightly bashed gadget and started working on it as best I could. I can't get too stingy. I have to be patient with Sanji. I like him, so it's just something I have to deal with. _Heh_, I think with a bitter taste in the back of my throat, _maybe if there's still time we can do something tomorrow before the log pose resets._

* * *

That stupid moss-head is sitting on the lawn deck lifting his shitty weights went I get back. He dares to cock an eyebrow as if to ask what the fuck I'm doing back here, but I don't have the time to deal with him. I hurry to the men's quarters, but it's deserted. That means he's probably in his workshop below deck. I head to the stern of the ship, feeling Zoro's eye on me the whole time. Fucking bastard, get something better to look at.

"Hey Usopp," I call down and I hear the metal tings of screws, bolts, and washers hitting the floor. I go down the stairs and find him on his hands and knees collecting the pieces off the floor that have rolled under the workbench.

"Uh, hey Sanji," he says, his voice a higher octave than normal. I feel guilt weigh on my shoulders and heart, but I walk over to him and get down on the floor to help collect the pieces. We don't say anything, but when I glance over, I see his castaway eyes held wide, like he's trying not to blink and he's biting his lower lip. My body feels heavier and I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to get up off the floor. The pictures in my back pocket feel like their gnawing at me.

After a little talk with Nami-san, she bought a camera and we walked around town for an hour and every time Robin-chan or Chopper pointed one out, Nami-san sent me to talk with the young lady or girl, all the while taking pictures. After a while I was tired. It was like over stimulant and the whole time the thought that we were screwing around while Usopp was here waiting probably upset, kept bugging me. When Nami-san seemed satisfied, we stopped at a restaurant for a late lunch and she laid a long line of photos in front of me.

"_This is what you look like when you're swooning over girls. All. The. TIME._"

I almost couldn't recognize myself in the pictures. This didn't look right. It.. It.. I looked like some kind of classless weirdo. _But, wait_.

"_This is what I looked like earlier_?" I asked, picking up one particularly bad photo of me groveling. _I was doing this while I was with him?_ I couldn't believe it.

"_Yes_," Nami-san said, finally sounding appeased. "_Now imagine if you were in Usopp's shoes watching him swoon over another pretty face. Do you finally get it?_"

I looked at the photos still on the table and then up at Nami-san who was smiling smugly. Robin-chan smiled at me sadly and sipped at her coffee. Chopper looked over the table at me in Brain-point with sad eyes. "_You' got to be nicer to Usopp, Sanji_," he said with his own smile. I felt kind of foolish being lectured by someone so much younger than me about how to treat my lover... But with all this evidence laid out in front me I didn't really have any right to speak.

After that Nami-san stood up and told me that they were going to get back to shopping, not forgetting to remind me that I owed her for the camera and film as well as she expected me to pay for lunch. Who am I to turn down a woman?

I look back at Usopp. It's no wonder he lacks such confidence in me.

"Usopp," I ask, putting my hand over his. He looks down at our hands and then up at me. He smiles at me, like he's holding it all together and that's the final straw on Eyelash's back. "Usopp, I want you to hit me."

His expression changes to something that looks disturbed. He pulls his hand out from under mine and sits back on his heels. "You want me to what?"

"I want you to hit me. Hit me as hard as you c—" and giving me exactly what I asked for, Usopp sends me sprawling backwards. I sit up, rubbing my jaw and I feel like he might have knocked one or two of my teeth loose. _Shit! _I didn't think he could hit that hard.

I look up at him, smiling, about to compliment his right hook, but then stop when I see the tears pooling at the corners of his eyes.

"You're an Asshole, you know that?" he says and then sniffs.

I nod. "Yeah, I know. Nami-san showed me... Usopp, I'm sor—"

"Why'd you ask me to do something like that? Ow, shit!" he says cradling his hand. It looks a bit more swollen then it should be.

"Hey, what happened?" I ask sitting up and coming over to him.

"It's fine," he says, using the back of his other arm to wipe away the tears that had yet to start falling. "I just got stepped on earlier when we were helping those girls get their groceries."

I stop, because I feel like an idiot for not noticing that he'd gotten hurt back then. Why is it that I can't do this right? He keeps doing everything right and being the perfect patient lover, and I keep screwing it up. I don't deserve the way he tolerates me and he doesn't deserve the way I am.

I take his hand that he's cradling and I put it to my cheek, his eyes watching me as I rub it against his knuckles. He's blushing, but he doesn't pull it away. "I'm sorry, Usopp," I say.

Usopp is biting his lips and shaking his head. "I-I should have said something."

"No, you shouldn't have had to. We shouldn't have even been in that situation. I shouldn't have offered to help them. I royally fucked up and I will do anything to make it up to you." Usopp started to laugh. "What are you laughing about," I asked feeling a little put out.

"I'm happy you said something like that," his laughter started to damper off. "Hey Sanji?"

"Yeah?" I asked eagerly.

"Does this mean I have your permission to yell at you if you started noodling again?"

_Noodling. That was a good word for what I did earlier. But I feel like I've heard that term before_, I pondered. "Yes," I said nuzzling his hand that I'm still holding.

"And you won't kick me for it?" he asks skeptically.

I pause and open my eyes to look at him. "We'll see, I guess," and I smile as he groans half-heartedly.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Good evening readers, because it is evening when I am posting this. This is the fourth drabble and I hope that you at least appreciate it… I like it for the fact that A) I got Usopp in a pageboy cap-even if it was never technically seen-bleh! B) I got to play Usopp again very well, and C) I got to write about a Sanji that doesn't know he noodles. It's been something that I've wanted to write for a very long time. It's the idea of self denial that I've held about Sanji since the first time I saw him swoon, asking my friend-"Do you think he knows he's doing that?" I find myself feeling that the ending is lacking-also I notice a trend with a lot of my drabbles come about… I might write a short sequel to this drabble, just so I feel better… It will be short though… If I write it fast enough I can post it next Thurs/Friday… anyway…

Review Response time!

SniperingSardine: Welcome back! The thing with Chopper is… He's my third favorite character! Behind Zoro (who's a bad ass and I love his lines-God I want to draw you, Zoro) and Usopp (Duh!), oh, and you mentioned Brook? He comes in a close fourth for me! I love Brook!... But back to the Chopper thing, I also have this song called "Friends" that was sung by Chopper and Usopp's Senyu and I loved it! It's what really makes me love playing off their friendship-Which I will do as you kind of see here and will see in my sequel I'm writing-Oops! I let that slip! It's always a blast to read your Reviews. Thanks as always!

shinaiko-san: Hey! Thanks for review again! If it is not too rude of me to ask, what is your first language? I'm just curious… Hi! I'm glad that you like my consistency… I was cutting it close with this one… I just had my beta finish reading the final product… I'm actually starting the idea process for the Superhero AU… It's all up in the air right now, making a rather nasty looking brain storm if you ask me… I would actually love to add Chopper-man… But I'm not sure where I could find anything on it… do you know where it mentions him-in the manga or in the anime? it would help me, I swear!

Thanks for all your review everyone! And to all you other readers, please review as well! I love hearing from you people and I would love some more drabbles idea or even full length fic ideas too. I love writing and want to write what makes you guys happy!


	5. Role Reversal

The grass is tickling the sides of my face and swatting at it doesn't seem to help. Lying on my back in knee high grass and weeds, looking up at a late afternoon sky, I wonder vaguely how I got here. I try to think back to what I last remember when I hear someone scream.

My first thought is to panic. I roll over onto my front, trying to decide whether or not it would be a good idea make a break for it or if I would be safer if I stay low to the ground and crawl my way out. But then the scream cut through the air again and I flinch, holding my head down with my arms. My heart's going crazy in my chest all on its own, stupid muscle. _Calm down heart... Wait, on second thought, better not talk to you. You tend to take me literally,_ I think as I remember Enies Lobby.

I hear the scream again, but this time it almost seems familiar. It's not mine—at least I hope it's not—but it's too deep to be Nami's or Chopper's. Then I hear it again, only this time I distinctly hear my..my name. It echoes eerily overhead and bounces off the trees and the sky and feels like it's a whisper in my ear as it fades. The voice is deep, familiar—a voice with a faint husky rasp that only comes from years of chain smoking. My head pops up over the grass and I sit back on my heels almost faster than my mind can make the obvious conclusion.

"Sanji!?"

My voice echos too and it makes me shiver. I hear another scream and this time I can definitely tell it's Sanji's. How could I not hear it before? The echo makes it hard to tell what direction his voice is coming from. In getting to my feet, one of my boots slip out from under me, but I manage to get to my feet as quickly as I can. My feet start moving and I'm not sure if I'm heading in the right direction, but I have to find him—"_Sanji?"_

It's getting darker the further I run into the forest. There are thick trees with leaves that block out the sun. I'm half stumbling over roots and sticks, but I keep running. Part of my self-preservation tells me that this is a bad idea—what am I doing running towards the danger?! I should go back and try to find Zoro or Luffy or anybody—but-but it's Sanji. He's in trouble. There's no time for screwing around. I can't run off and hide. I'm not going to desert him. He's my Nakama. He's my lover!

His scream cuts through my thoughts again, but this time I catch where it's coming from. I pick up the speed that much more, 'cause I've got to be close. Something hits my face—kind of slimy and net like—and I scrub at my face as I keep running. When I look at my hand, it's coated in spider webs. There's more—I keep running into them and they're covering the trees like shrink-wrap. Something seems really odd about this, but I can't ponder over it for too long.

I hear Sanji try my name again, but it sounds muffled and almost smothered. I skid to a stop and spin around until I see what looks like a mummy lying a few feet away from me in the dirt. It's wiggling like a worm and I almost scream myself, _Dammit, that's creepy!_ But then I hear Sanji's voice one last time and I realize he's inside that thing.

"Sanji? That you?" I ask kneeling next to it and I hear his muffled voice again, definitely coming from the mummy looking thing. "Uh, don't worry!" I say, half-panicking—who am I kidding, I'm freaking out here—"I-I'll get you out of there!"

I reach out for the wrapping, but it's sticky. I can't rip it off of him. _What am I going to do!?_

I look around for something to cut it open with and find a conveniently placed knife on the ground behind me. _How'd I miss that?_ I think.

I get to work cutting the whatever-this-weird-stuff is off of him and the moment the front of him is free, he sits up and hold's me tight in a panicky way. I'm blushing, but only because I don't know what to say.

"Who did this Sanji?" I ask, 'cause Sanji's shaking like a leaf.

"Not a who," he says shakily. "A what! It was a huge fucking spider." I look around. That explains all the spider webs. "We got to get out of here, Usopp, before it comes—" Sanji falls silent and stiff in my arms.

"Sanji?" I ask, rubbing his back. When I don't get a response, I look over my shoulder—And see the reason! A huge spider the size of the Mini Merry 2 crawls up out of a hatch in the ground. All eight of its green glowing eyes are trained on us. Its huge pinchers are dripping with drool that pools in the dirt under its massive head and the larger body behind it sways from side to side like it's agitated.

This is awesome. I've never seen a spider this big before. Big enough to capture a human prey, while a bit terrifying, is cool. I glance at Sanji's face and it's caught in a silent scream. I realize that he is probably living his worst nightmare—_that's right, Sanji hates spiders_. I look back up at the spider and make a quick decision. I'm going to have to kill it even if it is a really awesome specimen. I get to my feet with Sanji, most of his weight clinging to me. I reach into my shoulder bag and pull out my 10-ton hammer—pausing only long enough to wonder how I pull something so big out of my bag; usually I have to blow it up first—before I turn on the spider. Sanji's behind me and I can feel the vibrations of him shaking.

"I'm sorry Ms. Spider"—because a spider this big has to be a female—"But you chose the wrong man to make your dinner!" I swing once, and the spider crumples under the weight of my hammer, turning into a mesh of green ooze and black fur.

—_But Golden Pound is a balloon... How'd it—_

Sanji's arms wrap tight around me and he spins me to face him before planting his lips on mine. We kiss like that for a while, my mouth moving against his, until Sanji pulls away and I hear him laughing—_Laughing? He was ready to cry just before— _"You're not seriously going to pretend you're still asleep, you shitty long-nose. There's no way you can kiss like that and not be awake."

"What?—" I mutter.

~.~

I blink my eyes several times and look up at Sanji, wearing a lazy smile, his hair all tousled. "Good morning," he says playfully.

_That was a dream?_ Well, that makes a whole lot of sense, now that I'm awake. Sanji would never cower behind me like that. I must be seriously delusional to come up with something like that. But the look of that Sanji's face after I killed the spider in my dream makes me smile as I looked up at the genuine article. "Good morning," I sigh.

Sanji chuckles as he sits up. We're on the floor of the crow's nest. Since it was Sanji's watch last night, he invited me to spend the night with him up here. Heavy making-out had led to... me falling asleep at some point. We didn't even get to third. _Oh, God I'm pathetic... _Sanji looks back at me as he lights a new cigarette.

"What were you dreaming about?" he asks, and I pause, wondering...

"How did you know I was dreaming?"

Sanji pulls the cigarette out of his mouth quickly as he spurts into laughter. "You're kidding, right?" he says trying to hold it together. When he sees the blank look on my face, he pulls himself back together and chuckles as he says, "You talk in your sleep, you idiot."

"Oh," _I didn't know this!?_

"You've talked in your sleep as long as I've known you," and I can feel my face turning red. "Your imagination's just as crazy in sleep as it is when you're awake... Now, are you going to tell me what you were dreaming about this time? You kept saying my name."

I blush harder. "Heh, heh, it was nothing. Just a silly dream and you were there. That's all," I say bashfully. It's a little too crazy to tell Sanji about. Maybe I could draw a comic of Sogeking fighting giant spiders with Mr. Prince. That would be cool.

~.~

"You touch it and I'll make sure you won't be able to stand for a week."

I gulp and retract my hand from over the cookie dough. "W-what did you say?" I ask wide eyed, staring at Sanji's back as he stirs something in another bowl.

He looks over his shoulder and gives me that pervy monkey-lips smile of his and a shiver run's down my back. "You heard me," he says like he wants me to try. I fold my arms over my chest and stare at the far wall. _Stupid Sanji_.

He shrugs his shoulders and gets back to what he's doing. I kind of want to pull out my sling shot out and fire something at his ass. See how he likes it. Instead I sigh and lean my elbow on the bar top, and avoid looking at him... or at least avoid looking like I'm looking at him. It's hard not to watch Sanji when he's cooking. It's what he's good at. It's what he loves, so of course he always looks his most amazing when he's doing it. That's why I like hanging out with him while he's in the kitchen, I think blushingly, staring down at the bar top. It's hard for me to catch up with reality sometimes. I-I'm actually with Sanji. It's kind of hard to believe that things are more than what they used to be, with this normality—sitting in the kitchen with him—but then he makes comments with a face like _that_ and if there was any questioning it before, it's gone now. The fact that he loves me back still seems impossible sometimes. I still—

Sanji yells and I'm slapped out of my daze, almost fall off the stool I'm sitting on and slamming my face against the bar top. _Almost!_ I save me.

"I didn't touch it!" I shout back indignantly.

"What the Hell Are You Doing In MY Kitchen!?" Sanji's voice is teetering on panic.

I cringe. "I-I thought you said I-I could—"

"Not you!" Sanji says—not even turning to acknowledge me—but if not me, then who? It was just the two of us in here.

"AAaaah! Oi, Get Off of Me!" he yelps, half throwing the bowl in his hands on the counter. I catch just a glimpse of his face when he half-turned and it looks like the color had drained from his face.

"Sanji? What's going—"

"Get this Disgusting Shitty Thing Off My Arm!" He yells and then he freezes. "It's-It's Crawling Up D-Dammit!" he stammers.

I almost trip in the hurry to get to my feet. I run around the counter—_What's got Sanji to panic like this_?

"Sanji?"

He looks at me, a pleading look in his eye. "Usopp... g-get it," and with that, he shoots a glance at his arm, like trying to guide me. My vision follows his and it's hard to miss the big black spider clawing over the valleys of the ruffled, rolled up sleeve and watch as it continues to ascend up his arm towards his shoulder. "Hu-hurr-rryy, Usopp," he stutters.

I sigh inwardly. I thought there was some kind of monster or—I don't know—_something_; something that could even terrify Sanji, but a spider—a spider I could deal with. Probably one of the few things I can handle that Sanji can't...and as I walked over, grabbing a scrap of cardboard from the package of butter Sanji got out earlier and ripping off a chunk, the words that Sanji told me long ago kind echo in the back of my head—_I'll do whatever you can't do. And you do whatever I can't_... If only he knew how many times I've used that mantra to help me get through fights and other tight spots.

I scoop up the spider and carry it out of the kitchen and out to the deck where I dust it off over the railing and watch it land in the tree below. I walk back into the kitchen, dusting off my hands, wearing a big victorious smile. When I look over at the kitchen, I think for a moment that Sanji's disappeared, the spot where he'd been standing vacated. I jog over and find him slumped against the counter, shaking like a shiver.

"Sanji?" I ask, kneeling next to him.

He looks up at me and smiles weakly before muttering, "Shitty spiders..."

"I got rid of it," I smile.

"Oi," he says throwing me a dangerous look. "Don't laugh, got it?"

Though I'd like to point out that he's laughed at me being scared about tones of shit, I understand his manly pride and nod. "I wasn't."

"Good," Sanji huffs. He pauses for a moment before spontaneously banging the back of his head against the cabinet behind it.

"Waaah!" I yelped.

"That was so fucking lame!" he moans.

I smirk at the agonized look on his face. Before he can turn his head to glare daggers at me, I say "I know the feeling."

"Shit," he says looking forward again.

"Hey," I smile. "I'll do the stuff you can't and you do what I can't, right...?" I say just above a whisper and Sanji gives me a strange, kind of speechless look before smiling brightly.

"Heh, never thought I'd have my own words handed back to me... especially over a spider."

"Well, you can just rest assured with the Great Captain Usopp by your side, 'cause I won't let anymore eight-legged pests bother you again," I say puffing up my chest. "I am a world famous spider whisperer, after all."

Sanji chuckles, muttering "bullshit" as he reaches out to take my face with one hand and pulls me down into a kiss.

* * *

**Author's** **Notes: **

Hi everyone! The fifth Drabble. Sorry it's late, for those of you that follow me closely. I have a totally good excuse! I take my computer to work with me when I'm going to be there late and I, uh, sort of, left it there last night. I don't have internet at work either... I had to run out to get it this morning... But didn't because I wanted to sleep in 'cause it's the start of my Christmas break. But I had to run to work and get it eventually... And then I had a date and now I'm finally posting before I have to go Christmas shopping with my mum! Yay... Not really...

SniperingSardine: You made me laugh again, my friend. To be completely honest, I love hats too. I have an Ace Hat! I got it as a birthday present... Ahhhh! So much to talk about, but I can't remember any of it... I'll just tell you in the next one!

shinaiko-chan: Oh, I thought you spoke Korean or Japanese *smile*. Thanks for the compliments about Nami. I like playing Nami in the role of big sister. I love to hate her, so it's fun to make her mean and bossy, I think... She'll be making more appearance in other stories in the future.

Galymed: Glad you like my works so much. Here's another drabble update. These are as much fun to write as they are to read. I glad that everyone like Sogeking and Mr. Prince. I plan to write another fanfic just about their superhero personas.

So, this is the fifth as I mentioned earlier. It was designed with two different idea in mind. I wanted to show how balanced I think their relationship was. Hope you love it. Leave more reviews. I'll probably have a Christmas Gift post waiting for you all. Merry Chrstmas all!


	6. Hiccups

Sanji walked around the counter and put Brook's tea on the table in front of him. Brook chortled his usual laugh and thanked the chef. Sanji smiled at him and walked back into the kitchen, addressing the sniper as he excitedly regaled the cook with a story idea that even sounded most interesting to Brook's nonexistent ears.

_Hicc-up!_

Sanji smiled at the sniper with an expression that the musician had never seen on his face before—

_Hicc-up!_

Sincere—_possibly even tender_—his eyes following the sniper's every movement, even when Usopp's eyes weren't meeting his—

_Hicc-up!_

His normally flamboyant and showy ways of expressing love lost in a moment not normally witnessed by outsiders. He seem to subtlety shower the long-nose with an unspoken affection; it was less flashy, but none the less obvious.

_Hicc-up!_

Brook sipped his tea, watching the interaction through the corner of his eye... even though his eye sockets were quite literally cornerless. He could see the red hint in the sniper's face as he details the events in his story chronologically. The color in his face grows brighter as he goes on, as if something he's saying is causing him to become shy—

_Hicc-up!_

Sanji wears a soft smile as he reaches out slowly, touching the back of his fingers to Usopp's briefly. The action could be brushed off as casual, but was most certainly not. '_Oh, his face has become redder_,' Brook noted to himself.

_Hicc-up!_

Something in Sanji's face twitched, but Usopp continued elaborating on his plot unfazed. Sanji took an opportunity—a breath or pause in the sniper's story—and brought up something rather scandalous and quite obvious, alluding to something through the use of an innuendo.

_Hicc-up!_

Usopp seemed unresponsive to Sanji's reference... until understanding spread across his face and it lit up like one of his own fireworks. '_Oh my_,' Brook mused.

_Hicc-up!_

""Could You Stop With The Hiccups Already!?"" the two turned to shout in unison with equally angry sharp-toothed expressions.

"I-I'm sincerely sorry," Brook said conflictedly, remorseful for interrupting their most sweetest of moments.

_Hicc-up!_

"I would try holding my breath, but I don't have lungs to hold air. Yohohohoho—_Hicc-up!"_

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Hi and salutations to all my lovely readers. Today I'll be making my Christmas post. And just to let you know, I did not intentionally make it short, that's just kind of the way it happened. This is the next story in the lineup of drabbles l've written and it just happens to be short. To help spread the Christmas cheer, I decided to give all of you a special Christmas bonus of sorts and post early. This is also kind of an apology for posting late last week. I have so much in the wood works right now it's hard to focus on every story. Besides my drabbles for B.T.W., I started work on a special series called Flower Child and even started a new project continuing with the idea of the Hero's Alliance. I'm going to continue to work on these drabbles as well as those two projects.

This particular drabble is one of my favorites. Brook, who is one of my favorite characters, takes kind of the leading role. Just like I promised SniperingSardine, I dedicate this drabble to our favorite musician. I'm very proud of myself that I managed to sneak in not one, not two, but THREE skull jokes! _Yohohoho_!

This is me wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and the next time you hear from me it'll be a happy New Year. (Also *whispers* this 'author's note' is the first time I'm publishing something I wrote with _Dragon_)


	7. Lacy Blues EXP

_Oh God, No!_ I hurdle the couch, am on the other side of the room and ripping the garment from Usopp's hands before I can think; stashing it behind my back and out of sight as quickly as I can, like if I move fast enough, I might make him forget what he thought he saw. _Why, dammit why did he have to find it of all people? _

Usopp blinks up at me blankly for a heartbeat or two—I mean, I did seem to appear out of nowhere. It's only by mere chance that I came back to check on him—it's only understandable that I phased him—but, before he has a chance to recovered, I start barking the first things that come to mind.

"What were you doing in my locker?" I demand, leveling him with a heated stare. Usopp looks like I just slapped him and I feel my heart twists. _Shit Usopp, don't look at me like that._

"I-I was just," he starts. "I was just putting away some of your stuff. You know… like you asked me to."

I'd have to be fucking blind not to notice the laundry hamper he's got with him. Usopp lowers his eyes, that stupid panicky look in them. I feel like this is all my fault—_Who am I fucking kidding!?_—it is my shitty fault. I didn't stuff _them_ away deep enough. It's not like he meant to find them. He wasn't snooping around or digging through my shit. You could see it all from the door. They fell from the top shelf while he was putting things away in the lower half.

"Sanji?" he asks, his voice so quiet I have to strain my ears to hear him. "Why-why do you have those anyway?" His voice tries to sound light, but... It's a heavy question to begin with. He's looking at me, waiting for my answer...but-but I can't tell him the truth. I can never bring myself to tell anyone about _that_.

"What do you think?" I ask, bringing my façade together as instantly as I can. "Why else would a guy have a pair of lady's underwear stashed away?" I say holding up the garment in question—a pair of rather lacy light blue panties. "There obviously a woman's, Usopp."

"A-a woman's?" Usopp stutters. He cocks an eyebrow while at the same time he looks totally heartbroken. _How can he manage to make his face look that sad while doing that? _"Ya-you mean they're like a trophy?"

"Yeah... Something like that," I say playing along and even trying to act like I'm proud of it. The thought of actually stealing a woman's panties sounds too scandalous and wrong and at the same time too tempting that I feel a shiver creeping down my spine, temporarily lost to that world of thought.

In that moment, I manage to miss the change in the man in front of me, because when I look back at him, he's seems like he's gone cold inside. His eyes are down cast and moving from side to side like he's trying to think of what to say.

When they return to my face, he looks so confused, I hope he can't see through my shitty lie. "So, heh"—his laugh sounds so fake—"You, uh..." His voice cuts off and he tears his eyes away from me again.

He's been hurt, that much is simply a given. I don't know if it's just his pride that's been injured or if it's his heart, or whatever else I can possibly fuck up, but he's wounded...

_All the same_, I keep telling myself, _I can't let him know the truth_. I don't know what repercussions would come if I told him it, but I can't see it going very well at all. At best, I'd never be able to look him in the face again if he knew. Having a pair of underwear from a lady I was once with is better than the alternative. I mean, since it sounds like an old relationship, it can't be something to get too upset about, right?

~.~

Lunch being the noisy and uncivilized affair that it is, I lean in close to as to place another tray of food on the table to replace an empty one. I try to stand closer to him than necessary in an attempt to catch his eye, but he turns his head the other way, almost like he didn't notice me. _As if I didn't know better_.

He jumps into an almost one sided conversation with Chopper who's sitting on his other side. I'm not sure if he's aware, but his little evasion was more obvious than he intended. And not just to me. More than half the room's noticed. In fact, I think the only one that's not looking at me with either confusion, suspicion, and—in that shitty marimo's case—smugness, is Luffy and Chopper. Luffy is too busy trying to stuff his gullet and steal food off the other's plates, but even the reindeer look's a little bewildered with the scenario. He can't stare at me because Usopp's insisting on talking to him, launching into one of his exaggerated tales that usually distract the crew's doctor. Forced to deal with the blunt of the crew's curiosity, I try to play along and act like it was unintentional for the sake of not having this conversation in front of everyone.

On any normal day, after the food's gone the room usually clears out pretty quick—everyone heading off to their part of the ship—but the process seems grudgingly slow today. Usopp's the one that actually insists that Chopper and Luffy come outside and play tag with him or something. There's not protest from Luffy—eager beaver as he is—and even though Chopper's a little apprehensive, he can't really turn down that sad looking hint in Usopp's smile. A hint that I don't miss either.

That shitty moss-head follows them, muttering something about a nap while looking over his shoulder at me with that arrogant look that just seems to rub in that I'm in the doghouse. I'd kick him, but the ever benevolent Nami-swan calls after me. Robin-chan, Franky, and Brook excuse themselves and clear out until it's just me and Nami-swan, like their giving us space. She's looking at me. Her lovely eyes that are narrowed are asking me to tell her what happened. Those intellectually orbs leave such an impression, she doesn't even need to give her question a voice.

It's been a couple of days since I walked in on Usopp's discovery of _those_ shitty things. Ever since, Usopp's been distant towards me. It's not hard to miss, especially with our noticeable closeness recently. _So I want to hang out with the sniper when I'm not doing anything...or even when I am—there's nothing wrong with that! He wants to be around me too._ But now he's trying to subtly do the opposite and... and—

"I know. It's my fault," I say, attempting to get back into the kitchen. There are dishes that need to be cleaned and I need to be doing something with my hands. I'm a shitty liar. I don't know how I would stand up against Nami-san and the truth right now without some kind of meager diversion.

"That's obvious," she says watching my back. When I don't say anything she sighs in the lovely aggravated way that she does. "What'd you do this time?"

While some part of me envies the fact, I'm happy that Nami-swan is so valiantly concerned with my Uso-swan. Since I've grown closer to Usopp I've started to notice their tight knit relationship between the two of them. It's like they've almost formed a small alliance within the crew, leaning on each other when they have to. It's weird to be happy about this, but I'm glad that Usopp has someone he can talk to so easily. I'm a little surprised that he hasn't brought this up with her yet.

I personally feel caught between a rock and a hard place. There is nowhere for me to run. I can't just admit all of it, but...but it's Nami-swan! I can't lie to her either!

I take a short, quick, but deep breath. The first sentence rushes out of me with the next exhalation. "I lied to Usopp the other day about something and now he thinks I'm treasuring something from an old relationship." It's not like I lied, it's just... not the whole truth.

I don't turn around. I don't want to lay witness to the lovely Nami-san as she contemplates what I've said; her lovely face screwed up in concentration, lips puckered and slender eyebrows knitted. Even all confused and serious, she would still look breath-taking.

She takes a moment before speaking again. "If it's a lie, then just tell him the truth. It's that simple." _Oh, the lovely Nami-swan, how wrong you are._

"I..could never tell him the truth. I-I don't think he would ever look me in the eyes again." I stare down at the sink full of sudsy water that I'm elbow deep in, scrubbing at some grease that's clinging stubbornly to a pan.

"It can't be that bad..." and then she pauses for a moment. "It's not something like you cheated on him," she says slowly like she doubts it.

Anger swells up in my chest. I'm offended at the mere suggestion, even if it is Nami-san that said it. "I would never," I shout. I could never. I might be a lot of things—such words as pervert, playboy, and philanderer may come to mind—but I would never actually commit adultery. Once I'm pledged to another... Just the suggestion of a man being unfaithful makes me want to kick the shitty bastard—...Now, if it were a lady cheating, I'd be more lenient. I'd hear them out at least. They probably have some kind of reason—but all the same, it's a taboo that I wouldn't tolerate.

After I've raised my voice, I shrink back and apologize to Nami-san. She's just concerned for her friend Usopp. For a moment she seemed kind of startled at the harshness of my voice, but Nami-san has always been good at playing it cool. I tell myself that I'll make her something special to eat later to extend the apology.

"Well, if it's not that, you should just tell him. You know how open minded Usopp is. And how could he hold anything against _you_."

_But you don't understand, Nami-swan. Usopp... this is something even he would think is unnatural. Uso-swan is a great many wonderful things, but even he is a man, and I can't tell him the truth. It's not just my pride that I'm protecting anymore. I'm protecting my relationship with my lover._

Nami-san stands there a little longer and then sighs again. "Well, just hurry it up and fix it. I'm tired of sticking my neck out for you idiots. Next time you two get in a fight, I'm going to charge you for my counseling." She walks out of the room and I'm alone again.

I've missed Usopp these past two days that he's been avoiding me. I've missed him hanging around me while I cook or watching him tinker with his odd cogs and screws or drawing with that half-there look in his eyes.

_Oh, Nami-san, you're right,_ I admit to myself. _But..._ My face feels hot, the weight of shame almost crumbling, as memories flash through my mind. _All that shitty pink..._

I can't dwell on it too long or I'll start channeling _that thing_ they created inside me. It's not something as crazy as another identity. It's just that I—I... I thought after I got my head back, after I pulled it together, that everything had returned to normal.

_How wrong I was_.

They'd done something to me. I wonder if this was their shitty intention from the start. I'm not sure what it was, but it fucked me up good. I thought once I'd escaped them and returned to normality, I could block out those unpleasant memories and it could fade into a bad nightmare. When I finally stepped back on Sabaody, I was back to me—maybe I was a little deprived—but it was back to a reality that made sense. Men wearing dresses and heels and lipstick, _that is the shitty nightmare_.

It took me awhile to realize I was wrong, months almost. Every once in a while something felt wrong. I'd gush over something that was cutesy—not a woman, but something that would belong to her. I'd make strange sounds when I didn't intend to. Sometimes I would take extra time when helping the ladies on our ship with their laundry. I once caught myself holding one of Robin-chan's shirts up to my chest and panicked. I tried to convince myself that I was just over thinking it.

And then there was that one day that I was performing a shopping run and I walked past that lingerie's boutique. It caught my eye and I found myself staring. But the longer my brain admired the garment, the sooner I realized I wasn't envisioning it around a lovely woman's hips, but thinking of putting them on myself. I left the store front with a sense of dread dragging me down and returned to the ship full of despair.

...but I came back. I couldn't get the thought of it out of my head. It was then that I realized that I'd been broken. Something was wrong with me. Men don't want to wear frilly lacy underwear. They want to give them to ladies, take them off ladies. I don't remember going into that shitty store or what money I used to purchase them, but at the end of the day, I was sitting alone in the men's quarters staring at them.

I guess it sort of became a way for me to control it. I couldn't let the crew know about this. It would kill me. And if it didn't manage to, I would have killed myself. But if there was a day that I woke up feeling especially not myself, I..I'd wear them. And-and then nothing strange would happen. Yeah, there might be a slightly greater spring in my step, but it wasn't noticeable. It seemed like a good way to treat whatever was wrong with me... or at least a good bandage. Heh, this had all started with shitty underwear anyway, right?

But this had all been before me and Usopp had... Now it just seemed all that more important to hide it. Usopp has a great sense of manly pride. You'd have to be fucking blind and an idiot to not see that in him. He always admired strong men, like the warrior giants. He'd even confessed to me that it was a quality in me that had first attracted him. How could I ever tell him the truth?

* * *

I know it's harsh of me to hold it against him even now, but when he said that they'd once belonged to a woman—well, it wasn't like I was jealous exactly. For a while I was saying stuff to myself like '_why he would keep them_,' or '_why he would flash them in front of me like that_,'; you know, those normal things that come to mind. And then I thought that, even though I've never experienced it myself before, that it's kind of a guy-thing to be proud of your 'experiences', right?

But that's not what I felt. Um, feel?… Sanji liked women before. It's almost like what I feel right now is…uncertainty. _Is the reason he has those because he has doubts about choosing me_? I guess that's how it usually goes. Loving someone else isn't the most...sure thing. There are lots of reasons to have insecurities.

I sigh.

_Well... I guess it's about time I stop acting like an idiot_, I decide. I don't want to be mad at him anymore like this. I don't like forcing myself to stay away from him.

That's why when he comes up to me later on the lawn deck, long after dinner, and asks if he can talk to me privately, I don't hesitate to follow him back to the galley. But when I close the door behind me, I get this feeling that I've just cut off everything outside. It's like it's not just this room; Sanji and I are the only two people left in the world. It's kind of intimidating, but as I swallow hard, I tell myself that I'm just being stupid. Whatever it is, it doesn't matter. I can't be all nervous like this. I don't want to be fighting and ignore him any longer.

...even though I just told myself all that, it still takes a while to force myself to face him. The heavy feeling in my chest only gets heavier when I see Sanji's face and an expression I've never seen there before. He looks.. he looks beaten, almost like he's given up.

My heart starts to thrash around in my chest. _It's over. He's going to end it. I-I shouldn't have avoided him. I was getting too cocky again._ Negative thoughts were swirling around in my head. _I should have seen this coming. Why am I surprised?_

I'm panicking. There's a long instant where I spend trying to pull myself together and halt the automatic reaction I've got coming. I've got to take this like a man. Hold my ground and everything. No Tears. _I-I can take it_, I tell myself. _It will hurt, but it's just a little heartbreak. I-I'm not that weak that I'm going to fall apart like this. I just need to—_

"Usopp?" Sanji starts and his voice sounds just as tense as I feel. I force myself to focus on his face. But there's something wrong about this. I can sense it.

Sanji stands there, rubbing at the back of his arm, eyes on the table cloth and not on me. He looks on edge and panicking and as he licks his lips nervously I notice that he doesn't have a cigarette like he usually would. That's not like Sanji at all. _What's going on?_

"Usopp, I have to tell you something..." he says drily.

I-I'm not so sure that breaking it off is his intention anymore. Is it something worse? He looks like he's forcing himself to look me in the eyes; his body language looks like he wants to run away, like he doesn't want to face me. "I..I lied to you earlier," he admits and there's a noticeable tremor in his frame when he says it.

"Lied to me?" As unexpected at it is—I thought I was the liar in our relationship—I'm wondering just what exactly he lied about that would make him look so defeated.

"About the underwear," he says solemnly. "It's...It's mine."

"What?" I feel like the floor under my feet just shifted sharply two feet to the left. "What?" I repeat.

"I-I lied about it being something from another woman. I-I just didn't want you to know." He takes a deep, shaky breath and continues. "But I'm going to tell you, because I have to. You should know... even though you might lose all respect you have for me anyway."

I don't get it. It's like there's some kind of gravity to what he's feeling that I can't seem to tap into. I don't know where this conversation is heading, but Sanji seems to be dreading it. Sanji's knees start to shake slightly, though it's barely noticeable unless you're someone with experience like me.

"During those t-two year that everyone was training... I told everyone that mine was a living Hell." His face twitched, probably at the memory, I guess. "There was so much shitty pink," he shivered. "I-I fought my way out of there... but I guess something happened before I escaped." Sanji was starting to lose all the color in his face. "They-they did something to me.. I don't know what, but there's something wrong with my head."

And then the story just started tumbling out. There were more shivers and twitches and some details that I'm pretty sure were being glossed over. It was the most depressing and humbling story I'd ever heard. It was darker than anything I could ever come up with. More disturbing than anything I _would ever_ make up. By the end of it he seemed so hallowed out, I was afraid he'd just fall over.

"Sometimes I start acting weird and I know it's because I'm channeling that thing they created. Y-you might not believe me, but I think that wearing the panties helps control her."

_Did he just call it a 'her'?_ No-no wonder Sanji never talked about it. I-I'm surprised he's not more traumatized. Then I take a mental step back. He said that wearing those lacy blue panties helps him control it. _He wears those? Is he wearing them now?_

As if Sanji could hear me, he started messing with the belt of his pants. I opened my mouth and started waving my hands. He-he doesn't have to—

The look on his face was panicked, but determined. I could see them now. He didn't pull his pants down, but there they were, peeking out from the flap of his zipper. "S-seeee?" he stuttered. "I-I told you." But he looks like he's just working himself up more. "I know I'm a freak, but-but I don't want you to—"

"Sanji."

He looks up at me and I actually see tears in the corner of his eye. _That's so wrong. Sanji's never looked-looked so broken._

"Sanji," I say his name again, slowing trying to cross the space that separates us. "It's okay."

"No, it's not!" his voice jumps an octave.

"No it is," I say. He's got to be having a break down or something. I've got to calm him down. "I don't c-care about the panties."

"R-really?" Sanji asks looking up at me with large hopeful eyes and I can't fight this feeling that something's still wrong.

"Yeah, real—"

Sanji's lips are pressed up hard against mine and he's kissing me desperately. He just kind of appeared in front of me. I sigh internally and kiss him back, but something feels different. Sanji's body, against mine, almost feels smaller—not like he's shrunk—but like he's not standing at his full height. He's leaning in, not controlling the kiss like he normally does. I suddenly feel his hands. They're working at the buttons of my pants and my brain needs air for a moment so I can figure out what going on.

I pull back, take a gulp of air, and looked into Sanji's visible eye. "Sanji? What are you—"

"You don't want to?" He says staring into my eyes and it-it almost looks like he's pouting.

"Wha..-no, it's-it's not that I don't want to, but-but this is your kitchen.. and-and—"

"_I_ want it," he says and his voice sounds a little too sweet.

_Wait! Something is definitely wrong! Sanji's not—_Sanji eagerly pushes me and we slowly tumble back down to the floor. He's still messing with the waist band of my pants while I'm struggling to process everything.

"Sanji," I yelp as he pulls them down all the way to my knees. My shorts too. "Ahh!" I chirp as I notice. "Sanji?"

But he's a little busy trying to take off his own clothes. He sheds the jacket quickly and kicks off his shoes and pants, leaving them on the floor besides us. Stripped down to his dress shirt and underwear, it's really easy to see those feminine panties now. It's looks so pervy and—and at the same time, I kind of want to keep staring. There's something kind of alluring about it, which, _God,_ makes me feel like a pervert too. I try to tear my eyes away.

"Sanji, you c-can slow down." _Something's wrong with him. I'm not completely convinced, but..._

Sanji reaches for the bottle of hand lotion. It's kind of been replaced several times since the first time we used it, almost like a normal thing now. He climbs back on top of me as he squirts some into his hand. This is moving really fast, I notice. Usually Sanji likes to take it slower, like the whole art of sex is a ceremony. He really likes feeling each other, and kissing, and stuff... I l-like it that way too. I feel like he's really serious about it when he's with me. Now... I don't know what to do right now. Should I stop him? He seems desperate, like he's still scared of something.

Sanji leans over and starts kissing me again, one hand planted right next to my ear. He's kissing me feverously and his breath hitches into my mouth once or twice as I feel him moving above me. He finally releases my mouth and gasps for air. I'm worried as he sits back on my stomach. And my mind kind of catches up with me as I feel the slimy moisture of the lotion over my belly button. _Wait! This is—_

Sanji reaches behind himself and grabs my dick and I hiss at the slick, warm, oily feel of his hand. I'm already really hard. _Shit, is he going to just—_

He rubs his slippery hand up my length and then leans forwards again and I can feel him lining everything up. "Sanji, you can't—SANJI!" I scream his name as he does just what I feared he would. He doesn't take his time lowering himself like he does with me. He just slams down and it's-it's so warm and crushingly tight. I-I can't catch my breath. I-I didn't know that this is what it felt like. Every time Sanji and I have done this, I've been the one on the bottom. It just kind of worked that way. I've never really asked about it. A-and I liked it like that anyway. This is different. _This is lots different_.

Sanji's body starts moving and I'm losing my head even as I was trying to get it back. "Sanji!" I say, trying to get him to at least pause for a moment. Something is wrong. I know it is. I force myself to look up at him and Sanji—whose eyes are squeezed shut—opens them in time to look down at me. His face it so hot and flushed. He looks crazy sexy. I-I just can't think straight right now.

"Sanji," I say trying to keep my breathing even. "What—" I am suddenly aware that he's still wearing the girly underwear and gulp "—what are you doing."

"I-I love you Usopp," he says in that slightly higher voice. I thought it might have been hysteria earlier, but— "I don't want you to hate me. I-I..."

I reach up and grab Sanji's face, bringing it down to mine and I kiss him lightly. "I-I could never hate you..." I pause. It's hard to breathe with everything going on. "I'd love you even if you ripped me up and kicked me... I don't care about... this weird Candy-chan stuff... I love all of Sanji... Can you p-please be you again?"

Sanji goes still for a moment, his eyes looking at me seriously. And then he exhales deeply—like a sigh of relief, I think—and then pulls in again, kissing me. The kiss is soft at first, but then Sanji's tongue parts my lips and coaxes mine into his mouth and the kiss suddenly takes on a more playful and _natural _feel.

When he sits back, the motion reminding me of the position we're in—and Sanji as well, from the strange twinge that travels over his face—he doesn't have that desperate look on his face anymore, and my heart stops twisting like it has been. He smiles down at me before giving a sudden jerk with his hips that startles me so much that it makes me moan. I look up in time to see him smirk.

"You better be shitty happy with this, idiot," he says doing some kind of experimental roll thing with his hips and I bite my lip to keep from moaning again. Then he sighs, "You're the only person I'm ever given my ass to."

My breath hitches and he doesn't give me another chance to say something besides a "you jerk" which is actually more of a moan then a comeback.

* * *

Lying on the leather bench with Uso-swan curled up and resting in my arms makes me practically giddy. Yeah, I can already feel the stiffness in my backside, but I can ignore that for a little longer before I have to get up and start dealing with it. I'm so relieved right now, it's almost euphoric. My Uso-swan over looked everything and said that he loved me besides all of it. The amount of fear and anxiety I had with me—the dread of the moment when I confess to Usopp and bared the truth to him—it's nothing compared to the sensational feeling I have right now; _relief doesn't even begin to describe it_. Weights and Shackles have been thrown off and I feel like my old self again.

Usopp stirs and wiggles besides me, braced against the back of the seat. I stare down at him lovingly. When he opens his eyes sleepily and tilts his head back to meet my gaze, he plays a silly smirk on his full lips and rolls his eyes at mine.

Still with one arm wrapped around his body, I sit up. "What's that for?" I ask.

"You," he says, closing his eyes and leaning his head against my chest again.

"Me what?" I insist. Did I miss something?

"Just you being you... I—" he yawns. "..I guess I missed it."

I pause, reflecting on how I kind of lost it earlier. I was so upset that I let that thing out unbridled and it really ran amuck. There's that to consider, but—_But Uso-swan missed me too!?_ He Missed me!

"Uso-swan's so endearing when he's honest," I say hugging his head tight to my chest.

He flails a bit, but after a moment sighs in defeat. "And _you're_ so tiresome when you get like this," he mutters against my shirt.

"So, heh, all is forgiven?" I ask. He struggles a bit and I release him. He sits up, running his fingers through his hair before looking over his shoulder at me. He studies me peculiarly before he turns his face around the other way. "Yeah, for the most part," he says half-heartedly.

"_Most of it_? What's that supposed to mean?" I'm trying to stay neutral, but is he still put off by that weird thing that, uh, came over me earlier, or is it the underwear thing?

"You lied to me," he says, stretching his arms over his head before folding them over his chest, his back still to me. "I don't know if I can trust you."

"Why you shitty long-nose—" I start, feeling extremely like the pot is calling the kettle black here... but then I think better of where this is going. We just fixed it. We just finished one fight, I would like to keep it that way. I _did_ lie to him. I can apologize for that. I can be the bigger man.

"Usopp," I start again, softer this time. "Don't be like that. I had a good reason. You can't really hold that against me."

"I don't know," he muses, shaking his head. "Your honor was one of the big reasons I liked you."

_Really?_ Uso-swan loves my honor? I feel a giddiness wash over me even as I remember that by lying to him, I've already kind of blown it. "Uso-swan," I coo. "I won't lie like that to you again. I swear to you on... on the existence of the All Blue, I won't tell you another shitty lie like that ever again."

I just barely manage to catch Usopp smirk as he turns around, planting a kiss on my lips with alignment that we've got down to a science. He holds me there, kissing me with all the coaching I've given him. He pulls away. "Hmm," he hums. "Maybe."

It's then that I realize I'm being screwed with. _Shit_, Usopp. "So you like pulling my chain, huh?" I ask going back in to nuzzle my head against his collarbone. I can breathe him in easily this way, a strangely alluring scent unique to Usopp; a mixer of gunpowder, axel grease, and an earthy scent that he gets from digging around in his flower box.

"Only 'cause you let me," he says, voicing hitching slightly as I nip at him. "Oi, hey... uh—"

"Yes?"

"Could I..." he pauses, biting his lower lip, and I smile up at that before going back to nuzzling my face against him. "Well, uh, do you think that maybe I-I could be the top again sometime?" he asks nervously.

My eyes fly open as his words sink in. _This_ was an accident. I wasn't really aware of what I was doing. My backsides going to be killing me tomorrow as is. I never intended to switch positions with Usopp and I'm not sure _I'm_ ready for it. Even if he's talking about in the future, some other time... I don't know what I'm going to do if that long-nose starts topping. "Uh," I say nervously. "I-I guess we'll see."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Hello everybody! I hope this chapter didn't put you guys off my works for good. This chapter's kind of the final one in a bunch of dabbles that were meant to create/show a certain amount of balance and Sanji and Usopp's relationship. In **Denial & Patience**, I went into how insecure Usopp is about their relationship, and how Sanji wants to be better for Usopp (ignoring the bit about how Sanji doesn't realize he noodles). **Role Reversal** showed that Usopp's not just the submissive role in the relationship and that Sanji has, well, growing issues about being weak around Usopp. This last drabble kind of made a bigger deal of that. I wanted everyone to see this issue that I kind of had with the relationship.

I illustrate Sanji as being a romantic. He loves the idea of moonlight dates and creating sweet and loving moments. Usopp's shy, very conservative, and not sure of himself. At least in this drabble, I made clear that Sanji sees Usopp as a man. Not a replacement for a woman, a man. Usopp is very content with the balance in their relationship; he doesn't have uncertainties about roles. Sanji on the other hand does he thinks he supposed to be well the provider, the protector. At least this is just what I think. Also…

When I watch the episode where they broke Sanji, my heart went out to that strong animated man. Up until that point in the anime, Sanji was definitely not one of my favorite characters. I supported him and Usopp, his only redeeming feature. But after watching that episode, I couldn't think that thinking that longer. I read a fanfiction, or rather a drabble, that went a little into the repercussions of what that island did to him. I liked it, but I was like "OMG, Sanji'd have so much more PTSD from this!" I decided to elaborate on it a little more. This "Candy-chan" may or may not have more roles in future stories I write about Sanji and Usopp.

By the way, there might be an open missing week in between this drabble and the next. I think I write better when I'm actually writing between work schedules. Christmas break has thrown me off and I have written almost nothing related to this fanfiction or even anything related to this fandom. And that really hurts me, too because I have, like, this story, and then a story about Chopper and an OC (because I can't write a cannon character with Chopper. Believe me I tried, so OC was the best option), and then this other cute story that I'm going to write about Biri-chan and Carue. It hit me randomly the other night and I was in love with the thought. _Yaoi-Duck!_ Or rather Shounen Ai-Duck. I don't think I could write anything about _that_ unless they were furries... or would they be featheries? I stay away from animal explicits. Anyway, I finally caught up to myself and now I don't have anything left prewritten. Darn.

Thank you everyone who still reads my Author's Note even though they are incredibly long and only getting longer—hopefully I cut back next time. I'm sorry I can't do a response to the reviews this time. I will do one next time and I will respond to you SniperingSardines. I am sorry, but I've already made this one too long. I promise at least two more romantic based drabbles before I end **Forging Ahead**. But for those of you who like reading my SanUso stories, do not fret. I'm going to write another series following this one that I already have the first, um, prologue…to. Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. Read and review all of you lovely people.


	8. One Side of the Loop

Franky hadn't thought he'd like this rum-cola cocktail thing-a-ma-bob as much as he did. Usually sake wasn't his thing to begin with. '_Guess Eyebrow-bro really can make just about anything super..._'

He was sitting across from Brook, who was drinking tea now instead of sake like he had been earlier with the rest of the crew. Franky was thinking of tossing out the question 'why'd he stopped drinking', just to shoot the breeze. Instead, he threw his head back taking another long swig of his beverage.

"Heh..." he smirked, coming back up a bit more tipsy than before. The Strawhats had been partying for the past twenty four hours, another victory for all of them to notch into their belts. 'Nothing better than drinking, singing, and dancing with friends, eh?

"Oh-..Oh, yeah!" Franky half jumped off his perch on the rail of the Sunny. "I was goin' to show Long-nose-bro those new lasers I'm working on—" to put in the eye of Sunny's figurehead, out of the eyeballs none the less. 'Nothing better than messing with advanced laser tech when you're wasted.

Brook chortled, coming up from another sip from his monogrammed teacup. "I believe it's a little late for that, Franky-san. He and Sanji-san appear to have snuck off not too long ago. They look to be seeking sometime in each other's company."

Franky wore a dazed, but dubious look on his face, his sunglasses slipping from their high perch on the bridge of his metal plated nose. "Ah," he said with a melancholic tone. It still felt kind of strange with those two acting all twitter pated and that jazz. "Well," he said, his voice picking up, "Luffy would love to see—"

"The captain and Zoro-san disappeared an hour or so earlier, I believe. It might not be wise to disturb them just yet either," Brook said as he took another sip.

"Are you serious!?" Franky sat up straighter, giving a quick visual sweep of the ship. Not much could really be seen from the lawn deck. The only crewmates visible were Nami and Chopper who were sleeping off their drinks—Nami was hugging Chopper to her chest, treating the reindeer like a big teddy bear. The ship's doctor had never been all that good at holding his liquor to begin with, so earlier he'd been all giggly and goofy telling anyone that would listen to "shut up" and "complimenting me doesn't make me feel happy, you bastard". Now they looked like children that had tuckered themselves out instead of the ambitious pirates they were. Robin had long since excused herself when her crewmates started losing themselves and volunteered to take first watch. There was little doubt in the cyborg's mind that she doesn't have eyes and ears over all the crew while keeping an eye out for the rest of them as well.

Just as Brook had said, it seemed that the four of them—meaning Chopper and Nami too—were the only ones present. Franky's larger, round shoulders sagged as he sighed. He sat back, leaning against the frame of the ship.

Going to take another swig of his rum-cola, he paused, catching his reflection in the dark amber liquid. He looked over at Brook, and even though the guy doesn't have eyelids, he had the feeling if he did, they'd be closed or at least half lidded as the living skeleton took another sip of his tea. He seemed unperturbed that most of their missing crewmates were off somewhere doing stuff that Franky would rather not be thinking too deeply about. He'd kind of been excited about showin' the lasers to Usopp and Luffy, and Chopper too. He was kind of jealous that they were missing, his little bros. He sighed, '_Nothin' to it_.'

"Heh," he started, swirling his drink in his glass. His voice sounding a little more drunkenly slurred then it'd been just a moment before, possibly because he was feeling more drained now. "It kinda looks like we're the only straight guys on the crew, huh?" He laughed, taking a long swig of his drink.

"Yohohoho," Brook laughed, setting his cup on the saucer in the other hand, only to cut off. "—Oh, not that I can speak for Chopper-san, but I can't say the same would go for myself, my friend. Yohohoho."

"Wh-What!?" Franky rum-cola bubbled out over his lips and sprayed out over the ocean; he barely managed to turn his head in time to keep from drenching the musician.

Brook simply tipped his head back, laughing at the look on their shipwright's face.

* * *

Author's Note:

Hello readers! I have no grievances about posting this story late. You want to know why? I just finish drawing my only favorite Hetero pairing from One Piece: UsoppxPerona. If I didn't have so many ideas swimming in my head, I'd write one about them. My picture is soooo KAWAII!

*_Ahem_, anyway, this was a funny little short that I thought up a long time ago. It's a short that kind of shows a something that I feel is never made clear. _How does Franky feel about all this?_ Truth is, he misses his little bros when Sanji and Zoro hog them. Also, I hint at something that I've been toiling over in my head...

...

The Sexualities of the Mugiwara Pirates:

Luffy — This is the hardest one... Can we just say that he Zorosexual? 'Cause Luffy's the kind of guy that once he's with someone, he's very loyal (like swans or Male Foxes).

Zoro — He doesn't know it, but he Bisexual (Gender-Blind and all).

Nami — Asexual. She loves money...

Usopp — He would probably say he Straight or, the case of Sanji, Bisexual, but he gravitates more towards men anyway... (it more or less is based on his admiration for strong men)

Sanji — Straight... expect for Usopp... Even he doesn't understand it completely (Sanji's also a romantic).

Vivi — (She's not in this fanfic, but she was a temporary member, so I thought I would include her) Straight

Chopper — I..I don't think he's thought about it yet... He's straight though...

Robin — Unspecified...

Franky — Straight... Just straight. His flamboyantness might be misleading though.

Brook — Pansexual. I don't think Brook judges by gender. He just likes beauties...Oh, and their panties. Heheh, but I'm a total YorkiexBrook shipper!

_Response time_—there's not much though...

**SniperingSardine:** Thanks for you support. I like spiders, actually think they're really cool, so I love that Usopp loves them too. I was kind of thinking of Chamber of Secrets when I wrote it too. The quote's something I've been wanting to use in the fanfic as some point and I actually did, so I'm happy. I'm glad to entertain you once again. Hope you liked this one.

**Diplomatic end: **Thank's for commenting!

There's only two more drabbles until I wrap this baby up and put on a bow. I'm going to start other fanfic's soon too. Look for other works by me soon. As always, read and review!


	9. Another Side of the Loop EXP

I knew Usopp was drunk when I tugged at his arm earlier. He'd been spouting outrageous stories for hours and we were enjoying the party as much as everyone else. When the demand for more food seemed to taper off, I realized that Luffy had actually left the lawn deck. No doubt he's was with that moss-head right now, but I'm thankful that the marimo is good for at least something.

Without my constant presence needed in the kitchen, I walked out to join everyone, wiping my hands off with a dish towel. As I settled on the grass next to Usopp, he turned his head towards me with a quick surprised jerk, but then his face lit up with the most adorable and amazing non-clumsy or shy smile I'd seen him direct at me in front of others, completely unabashed.

He didn't let me distract him too long though. Chopper _and_ Nami-san were demanding he continue. Apparently Nami-swan was also quite intoxicated, threating extortions if Usopp didn't keep telling his story. My Uso-swan is never one to disappoint in the entertainment department, so he turned away from me to go on, but his shoulder nudged mine in a meaningful way and my heart was ever elated.

We stayed out there for a while. I listen in and out, smoking a cigarette as I leaned my back against his. He seemed to easily keep the rest of our younger members amused. Boy was Luffy going to be upset when he heard he'd missed out on this new chronicle of the Great Captain Usopp's adventures.

It was a good kind of peace, feeling Usopp's warm skin and soft buoyant hair pressed against my back and to occasionally feel him shift against me when he would use his whole body to help with his story. From where I was sitting, I could see Franky settle on the banister next to Brook. Brook was playing softly on his violin. He somehow seemed to be in sync with Usopp's story, because the music sped up when the story hit an exciting point, then slowed down when things calmed.

"Hey, Sanji," Usopp eventually sang softly, leaning over his shoulder to get my attention.

"What, Uso-swan?" I sang back, but Usopp put his finger to his luscious lips and gave me a smiley, tipsy "shhh".

"Look over there," he whispered almost giggly.

I looked around him and saw Nami-san and Chopper snuggled close to each other, obviously asleep. A quick thought poked me at the sight of them. Before, I would've been extremely jealous of Chopper, being held so close to our voluptuous navigator's breasts—possibly even thrown a tantrum about it—but now, I found the warm presence against my back more satisfying.

"Chopper looks like a big teddy-bear," Usopp giggled and I smiled, looking away from the sleeping pair and taking in his face instead.

"Yeah, it's adorable."

"Hey," Usopp said with a not-to-be-taken-seriously annoyed look, made completely useless by the alcohol in his system. "What are you referring to? Them or me?"

"Guess," I said softly and cupped his face bringing it in to mine for a kiss. We kissed long and slowly, mouth moving against mouth working in steady motions against each other. His tongue flicked against mine playfully and I swallowed his laugh as my tongue tickled the skin behind his teeth.

When we pulled back, Usopp was still giggling. I looked over my shoulder quickly. Franky seemed to be pretty buzzed and looked like he hadn't noticed us. I couldn't be so sure one way or the other about Brook, since he was facing our direction, but seemed to be in the moment while playing. I decided that it might be time for a change of location.

Usopp swayed a little as I got him to his feet and led him towards the stern of the ship.

"Where are we going?" he whispers, like we were children sharing a secret. I smile over my shoulder at him.

"If Uso-swan doesn't stop being so cute I'll jump you before we get there," I threaten teasingly and Usopp giggles more, like it wasn't to be taken literally... which it was.

To be on the honest side, I'm still trying to figure out—Ah, never mind that. I know where to go. I tug Usopp behind me, towards the observatory. The lights are off when we enter and I try to guide Usopp without him running into something. When we reach the ladder, I guide his hands to it.

"Up you go," I say nudging his back.

"We're takin' a bath this late?" Usopp says confused, and even in the dark I can imagine his half-drunken expression.

"Just get up there," I smirk, patting his sweet ass and he starts climbing, muttering something like he doesn't need to take a bath until tomorrow. I roll my eyes and follow him up. Before I make it all the way to the landing, Usopp's turned on the lights. I get to my feet only to turn around and find Usopp's already trying to take off his pants, though he's gotten to the point where he's realized he has to take his boots off first. I start stripping myself, because it's going to take me longer anyway since I'm wearing twice as much as him.

He finally gets his pants off and puts them in the basket hanging near the sink. He's not _as_ giggly anymore, but I can still see him sway. I'm wearily ready to catch him if he so much as leans too far in any direction. With us both naked, Usopp turns around and that familiar blush crosses his face as he looks me up slowly. When his eyes meet mine, the corner of his lip twitches and then he drunkenly gifts me with another tipsy smile.

I reach out and grab his hips, pulling them to meet mine and kiss him. He's still giggly and he kisses me. When he pulls away he's got a happily determined smile on his face.

"What is it now?" I have to laugh.

"That," he says with a voice that sound eerily close to the falsetto he use as Sogeking, "Is the hundredth time we've kissed." And then he giggles frivolously.

I cock an eyebrow thinking his proclamation over. "No, it's been more," I say thoughtfully.

"Nu-uh," he says shaking his head and his loosened hair bounces freely. He cups his hand to the side of his mouth and whispers between the two of us, "I've been counting."

I shake my head and keep myself from laughing with all my restraint. _So, Uso-swan is a giggly-_honest_ drunk. Good to know..._ "I don't think so," I say leaning forward again, kissing and sucking his neck, my tongue stroking the sensitive skin when I pull away. Usopp makes the most adorable noises that play as he titters. "I think I've kissed you're body more than a mere hundred."

"I'm not countin' those kisses, you silly," he says pushing me away playfully and I retaliate by pulling him closer. I can feel that both of us are getting aroused, though Usopp's not really acting it. I think he would even be surprised if I told him he was. "I meant on the lips. Heehee. Hey?" he says questioningly.

"Hmm," I hum, my mouth still playing with the hickey I'm giving him.

"Aren't we going to take a bath," and I look up in time to catch that cute half-drunk confused look of his.

I hum to myself. "You're the one that mentioned bathing," I reply.

"Oh," he says, his giggly smile gone and his head tilted away.

"Usopp?" I asked worriedly. _Did I miss something?_

"I kind of wanted to take a bath with Sanji," he says look up at me through his lashes in a subconsciously alluring gesture. "I wanted to since that first time," and that familiar blush which appears every time exploits of the sexual preference are mentioned blooms on the apples of his cheeks. Be still my thundering heart, I.. how do I turn down such a brilliant combination of tempting charm, suggestiveness, and innocence. Heat pools deep in my abdomen anew... but Uso-swan wants such a simple little moment—awe, I could always continue seducing him later on.

I take Usopp's hand, opening the door to the bath and his face brightens substantially. First order of business is to turn on the heat for the ofuro. I... I'm pretty sure that the water is fresh...ish. Nami-san was the only one that used it since it was filled this afternoon. I turn around, half thinking of asking Usopp, but he's busying himself with the showers and the stools.

"Usopp?"

He looks up at me with a lopsided smile and scoots one of the stools closest to me a few inches with his foot, like he's beckoning me over with his hands and I feel that stir up the heat again. "Come over here, Sanji." Thoughts of the bath can wait. Uso-swan is summoning me.

I note that I'm acting a bit giddy myself, but is there any harm in that? When my ass hits the stool it skids a little with the momentum. Usopp giggles and the sound of it distracts me for a moment.

My eyes follow him as he moves about. He fills a basin with water and splashes it over his head. The water trickles down his frame and his dampened hair becomes unfurled and the curls fall loose from each other. His callous fingers reach down and retrieve a wash towel and soap.

It's funny that _I'd _never thought of this: bathing together. Watching him move as he normally does in a situation that I've never seen; it's kind of like a personal time that we're making privy to each other. I don't know if this is what Usopp's original plans were, but it makes me feel lighter to think that maybe even unintentionally he wanted to share even more of himself with me.

I busy myself getting water and getting myself wet. Splashing the warm water over my head seems to cool my head a bit, dowses my arousal. I shake my head, now soaked, sending droplets airborne.

And that's when I feel a warm presence on my back; a rough yet soft touch that reminds me of wet material. I'm only half surprised to look over my shoulder and see Usopp rubbing the soap into my skin. It's the expression—his eyes are following his hand along my back, and a thoughtful study seems to be going on. It practically sends a shiver down my back, him watching like this; like how he watches something he's drawing. I've felt this way before, but this time it feels different. I chalk it up to the fact that we're both naked.

Usopp rubs my shoulders and I shudder, it feels _good_. It's the kind of pressure that is soothing and relaxing and not meant to be erotic at all. It's just Usopp being conscious of the space under his hands and I feel like melting under it. Tension that I didn't even know was there is being forced out of the places he touches.

Usopp chuckles behind me—not like his previous drunk giggles—the sober kind of nervous, yet pleased laugh that he makes at first when people are impressed with something he's done, at least before he starts to get cocky about it. I can't put any more energy into it, looking almost lazily over my shoulder at his soft smile and half lidded eyes.

"What's so funny?" I ask. My voice sounds defectively slow and slurry to my own ears.

The smile on his full lips widens a bit more, touching his eyes. "You're slumping forward." He sounds like he's laughing when he says it.

I look down and realize he's right. I was so relaxed I just started to fold forward over myself. I look back over my shoulder, "So," I say with a lame sounding defensive tone, "it feels good."

"Good," Usopp says as his eyes return back to their task. "I've wanted to do this for a long time..."

"And what is 'this' that you've wanted?" I try to straighten my back again. After I've noticed, it's started to feel uncomfortable.

"I-I," he stutters nervously—a sign that he really is sobering up—"I wanted to-to touch you... and make you feel good too."

Even though my lower half has since been calming—relaxing like the rest of me—Usopp's purely devoted words makes pure heat threatened to overwhelm my senses, lust biting sharply any resistance. My heart throbs uncontrollably in my chest

"Oh, Uso-swan!" I cry—Usopp squeaks in surprise—as my body springs up from the stool and crashes into him. Everything seems to slow down: Usopp is knocked free from the floor, his body caught up in my momentum. I lose my footing in the sudsy mess that Usopp'd made behind me on the floor. Limbs jumbled in the descent, all I can see as I look over Usopp's shoulder—our chests pressed to each other's—is the ofuro and the water getting closer and closer.

_SPLASH!_

Water overflows over the side. It takes me a bit to get my balance and our heads pop up, mine first. I gasp for air and Usopp sputters.

"What's wrong with you," he says bitterly. "Are you trying to drown us!?" Drunk Usopp appears to have departed completely now.

All the same, I stare down at his lovely face, his wet hair all wash back and out of it. He looks up at me indignantly for as long as he can hold on to his frustration... but even that eventually evaporates and he stares up at me with that lovely sweet blush of his.

One of my hands reaches up into that tangled, wet black mess and I pull his face up to mine where I kiss him hard and sweet in a way that I know he'll respond to. We _are_ bathing together.

Usopp does respond in kind. He kisses back and wraps his arms around my neck, pulling me down to him. If I didn't have such a great grip on the side of the tub, he might just succeed in bringing both of us under water again.

We pull away slowly, a leisure that makes us relax against each other. Our eyes are drawn to each other's as our faces pull away and I can make out my own reflection in his. All kinds of romantic vibes flutter in me.

"Kiss a hundred and one, eh?" I ask and I watch in amused surprise as Usopp's whole face—from ear to ear and even his forehead—turn red like a fruit.

"Wha—how-how," he stutters and that leads to his struggle against me in the water. I pull him closer until his arms are trapped between us. "How did you—..."

"A little drunk birdy told me," I say sweetly. And my hands wrap around his back and reach for the globes of his ass.

"Ah!" he squeaks. "What are you doing? This is the bath."

_Oh_,_ darn_ I muse humorously to myself. _Sober Usopp..._

"I'm continuing where we left off," I say, my fingers brushing over the tight circle of his entrance and start prodding.

"But this is the bath," he repeats—_heh, like I could forget_ —"We can—Ahh!" he gasps as my finger slips in, the water around us providing a natural lubricant, not that I plan on continuing this much further without the real stuff. "You can't," he continues when he's caught his breath. "It'll get the water dirty."

I sigh internally at that remark. "I'll just refill it when we're done. No one will be the wiser."

Usopp tries to huff at that, but I move my body against his and the friction turns it into a hearty sigh. He looks up at me again and almost all the resistance has left his body. He pushes up in the water and kisses me, stirring me up more inside.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

_Ow, _and welcome back. This drabbles was a continuation of the previous one that shows where Usopp and Sanji were during Franky's little moment. I hope it's not disappointing. I'll be making one more drabble for this collection and that should wrap this puppy up. It might be awhile before I start posting my next story(s), whatever it (they) may be. But I will be back! And I will have plenty of more Sweet and/or steamy moments of SanUso coming with me.

Response time:

Shinaiko-San: Nice to hear from you again. I love Candy-chan and might write/dedicate some more drabbles to that idea in the future. Glad you like the quote, I've been shipping SanUso hard ever since Skypiea and the entire Enies Lobby _saga_ just screams support for that paring, like when Sanji was ignoring the hogtied Usopp until Franky introduced himself and then Sanji start wailing on him for beating on Usopp earlier—_Oh, be still my beating heart!_ Oh, and yeah, PeronaxUsopp is the only real hetero pairing I ship from One Piece. I can tolerate NamixUsopp, but I'd never write the two of them. Oh, scratch that! I would ship Robin with Franky or Brook too. I'm actually working on a PeronaxUsopp fix in my free time... It's just nowhere near ready to post yet. You'll definitely know when it's ready. I'll post on AO3 soon too. Just waiting to finish it up here.

foxfire222: All too glad to entertain...

Cappy: Drabble 3's side fic is on the way the moment I can think of an overall plot. I have all the character schismatic and other shit worked out. Just need an overall villain and some angst... I'm taking suggestion! Anyone think of something good for a crime boss thing. I need something to get that fic off the ground. Thank you for commenting.

Stay tune for the last story and as always, read and review!


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